Dear Friend,
What if – for our 30th Anniversary – in 2010 – we had to tell you the Endometriosis Association was closing its doors?
How could that be?
We’ve been singularly successful, a model held up to other social change organizations -
- dedicated, significant research, including our extremely valuable data registry started in 1980
- our research and the information drawn from hundreds of thousands of women and girls with endometriosis showed –
- contrary to prior medical thought, pain is the cardinal symptom of endometriosis (pain had been virtually ignored)
- endo is a body-wide hormonal and immune disease
- endo is tied to an array of autoimmune diseases (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, etc.)
- endometriosis is a major risk factor for a whole array of cancers
- endometriosis does affect teenagers, Black women, and Hispanic women
- four books providing in-depth, balanced, accurate information
- literature in 30 languages
- support for and development of hundreds of endo groups around the world, instrumental in their time in creating awareness and assistance for those with endo in their locales
- Discovery of the toxic cause in endo – a groundbreaking discovery
- Development of stellar research programs at prestigious institutions, including Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, and a marvelous collaboration with the team at U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)
And we have magnificent opportunities currently under development –
- We are beginning a special section on our website to feature important resources and products for women with endo
- A unique topical pain reliever will soon be available through the EA
- The new Journal of Endometriosis (an important and necessary development and a sign of maturation of the science in our field)
- A private label line of the highest quality supplements so you can have the best to help you improve your health
Yet, in this terrible recession we are struggling –
- the staff is down to the bare minimum
- we’ve had a freeze on buying office supplies since the recession began
- family members of staff donate scrap paper for our printers and copier
- many days passed this summer, no matter how hot, without air conditioning; now, with winter arriving in Wisconsin, the heat stays off or very low
- we share a donated cell phone service for long distance calls
“The actual creation of public value does not necessarily insure financial sustainability in nonprofit organizations.” This statement was made at Harvard Business School during a strategic management course for nonprofit CEOs from around the world (which I had the privilege of attending, having won a scholarship).
We depend on the generosity of people like you! Others simply do not understand, don’t care, or don’t want to know about endometriosis. Our experience this summer with the coordinator for educational programs for women state legislators across the U.S. exemplifies this attitude. She wrote, after seeing a clip from a Korean television program showing girls and a young mother in actual endo pain, that “I don’t want to see any of those Asian girls writhing in agony.” She also tried to censor our speeches and materials.
The world may not want to know about our pain, but we know, and we must do our part to prevent additional suffering!
I know that many of us are struggling because of the recession ourselves. Recently, I became aware of the intense suffering of Afghan women. I had no money to donate, so decided to save by not buying my favorite treat, dark chocolate. For months, I recorded how much I saved each day by reducing chocolate consumption – better for my health anyway! Finally I had saved $30 which I sent to the charity. We all must find ways to support what really matters!
The Nonprofit Times recently noted that over 100,000 U.S. nonprofits were likely to fail in this recession. Please be sure that we are not one of them! We need you more than ever.
Cordially,
Mary Lou Ballweg
President/Executive Director
Endometriosis Association
P.S. We are counting on you to keep the endo movement going! Please help NOW – your donation, whatever the amount, matters more now than ever! Click here to download our premium offer and donation form and mail it to 8585 76th Place, Milwaukee, WI 53223, or use your credit card to fax or call us: Fax (414) 355-6065, Phone (414) 355-2200. To make a secure donation online click here.
Learn more about why we must continue our important work to end the pain and suffering caused by endometriosis
