Advocates Join Forces on Capitol Hill To Address Health Epidemic

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PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association

Mar 01, 2019, 07:58 ET

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Advocates from more than half the United States will team up in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, March 7th for PCOS Advocacy Day to meet with their lawmakers to address the significant gaps in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) care and research. The event, led by PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association, will unite PCOS patients, supporters, researchers, healthcare providers, celebrities and industry professionals to share their stories and urge Members of Congress to make PCOS a public health priority.

PCOS is a serious genetic, hormone, metabolic and reproductive disorder that affects up to 15 percent of women in the U.S. It is one of the most critical, under-diagnosed and underfunded areas of health. PCOS can lead to lifelong complications including depression, infertility, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

"We are honored to serve as a voice for the millions of people affected by PCOS throughout the U.S. and on military installations worldwide," says Sasha Ottey, Executive Director of PCOS Challenge. "The personal and economic burden of PCOS on patients and the healthcare system is significant. There is an urgent need for increased PCOS research and treatment options to improve and save lives. PCOS should be included in all conversations and efforts to prevent issues such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and maternal and fetal death. It is time for more research and programs to close the gaps in knowledge and care."

"Fifty to 70 percent of women with PCOS are going undiagnosed or misdiagnosed," Ottey says. "PCOS Challenge is seeing far too many women who were never diagnosed with PCOS until their 40s and 50s, or who were never told about the associated health risks and are now battling diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer."

"Nations including Australia, China and India, and others, are now recognizing the seriousness and pervasiveness of PCOS and making it a priority," Ottey says. "We want our federal government to understand the breadth and depth of PCOS's impact on millions of Americans, to invest in adequate resources and programs, to make PCOS research a priority, to improve treatments and find a cure."

"The American Electrology Association is extremely proud to support PCOS Advocacy Day," says Pearl Warner, President of the American Electrology Association, a PCOS Advocacy Day sponsor. "Nearly every day, our members across the country see women and girls with PCOS and observe the devastating effects and psychosocial impact of the disorder. More needs to be done now to recognize and address this serious condition so women and girls affected may get the care they need."

PCOS Advocacy Day kicks off on Wednesday, March 6th with a PCOS advocacy training event from 1:00-5:00 pm followed by meetings with lawmakers on March 7th. PCOS Advocacy Day attendees will share with Members of Congress how PCOS is affecting their districts and states. Using their collective experiences, participants will champion legislative priorities related to early PCOS detection and intervention, improved care and increased research to fight the disorder.

Special Guest Announcements

PCOS Advocacy Day guests and speakers including U.S. Congressman Roger Marshall, M.D.; MTV television personality Maci Bookout; NBC's Superstore Actress Lauren Ash; and Miss Capitol Hill DC for America 2019 Megan Eunpu.

For more information about PCOS Advocacy Day or to schedule media interviews, visit https://pcoschallenge.org/pcos-advocacy-day.

About PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association

Serving over 50,000 members, PCOS Challenge is the leading support and advocacy organization for people with PCOS. The organization touches the lives of individuals with PCOS and their supporters each year through television and radio programming, support groups, grants, health screenings and awareness, education and advocacy initiatives. PCOS Challenge also works with the U.S. Congress, federal and local government agencies on public policy and legislation affecting people with PCOS. Recently, PCOS Challenge worked with U.S. Congressmen David Scott (D-GA-13), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS-1) and 54 other leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives to introduce H.Res.146, the resolution recognizing the seriousness of polycystic ovary syndrome and designating the month of September 2019 as "PCOS Awareness Month."

Contact:
William R. Patterson
PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association
Telephone: 404-855-7244

SOURCE PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association