The end of another week. And nearly the end of August! I hope you’re doing well.
Today’s quote goes out to the partners, spouses, significant others, friends, support systems, and loved ones of EndoWarriors, regardless of their sex of gender identity.
“Suffering should not define you as a woman! And just because you’re a man it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t affect you! HELP HER to remove the taboos and the loneliness surrounding this disease; be understanding, show empathy, and don’t accuse her of being sensitive, delicate, or overly dramatic – this is a big opportunity for you guys to show that you care and to be a real man!”
(Address, 2011 Endometriosis Foundation of America Blossom Ball)” ― Susan Sarandon
I’m lucky enough to have a partner who is understanding, strives to learn more, and is incredibly supportive. But not everyone is as lucky.
As you may know, we are hosting (along with the non-profit organization, Gifts 2 Help) our 2020 Endometriosis Awareness & Support Walk. This is the first year we’ve asked for sponsorships and today I’d like to honor Mary VanBuhler.
A HUGE thank you to Mary for her generous donation for our 2020 Endometriosis Awareness & Support Walk! Mary is a fellow EndoWarrior who has an incredibly positive attitude toward the fight ahead and is here to support other Warriors, too! We’re looking forward to walking with you!
Natural Harmony Reproductive Health is an integrative clinic dedicated to providing compassionate, integrative, expert reproductive healthcare.
An endo warrior herself, Dr. Merritt Jones specializes in the integrative treatment of endometriosis, recognizing that while no two people’s stories are exactly alike, many endo warriors have faced a long and arduous road and have had to fight to be seen, heard, and properly cared for. She believes that people living with endo deserve better.
Natural Harmony takes an integrative and multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of endo, offering functional medicine evaluation, acupuncture, nutrition therapy, herbal and supplemental therapy, lab testing and lifestyle support and more. The clinic will also happily work alongside patient’s other providers to provide truly integrative and collaborative care.
Not only is Dr. Merritt my as-needed acupuncturist, but she’s a wonderful friend and an incredible support to myself and others in the Endo Community. Her compassion, understanding, and drive to help others is endless.
We’ve released our Special Edition t-shirts and beach towels, sporting the design by Century House Art. You may remember our 2017 Coloring Contest and this was one of our entries.
Check out our Teespring store! 100% of the profits are sent to the Endometriosis Foundation of America.
There is no true deadline to order your t-shirt, tank top, or towel. Once the campaign ends, it will automatically renew. So, please don’t feel pressured to buy one now if you cannot afford it. They’ll be here waiting for you when you can.
The Beach Towel
A 30″x62″ cotton beach towel specifically in a bright Endo yellow. Wrap up in this plushy towel and proudly flaunt your Endo Awareness. The towel features the colorful design by Century House Art, the Bloomin’ Uterus logo, and our blog’s webpage. Each towel costs $30.99, and $10 of each sale will be donated directly to the Endometriosis Foundation of America via Teespring’s payout program.
My towel arrived! It’s massive! And oh-so-soft!
The Special Edition T-Shirt
Each t-shirt shows Century House Art’s design on the front and our typical Bloomin’ Uterus logo and information on the back. You have your choice of style:
Gildan Women’s Relaxed Tee for $21.99 ($6.90 is donated to the EFA)
BELLA+CANVAS Unisex Tank for $21.00 ($4.91 is donated to the EFA)
BELLA+CANVAS Women’s Fitted Tank for $21.00 ($4.91 is donated to the EFA)
Women’s Premium Tee for $21.00 ($5.06 is donated to the EFA)
Hanes Tagless Tee (unisex) for $17.99 ($5.57 is donated to the EFA)
Please find the style and size options that work best for you. As, as always, if you’re unhappy with the print work (sometimes they’re wonky) or quality of the item when you receive it, please contact Teespring’s customer service. They will work with you to either reprint the product or issue you a refund.
And, as always, our usual line of Bloomin’ Uterus t-shirts, stickers, and mugs is always available for you to purchase as well. (And all profits are donated to the Endometriosis Foundation of America…always). Shop all of our products at ourTeespringstore
Earlier this month Healthline.com‘s staff asked if I would be interested in writing a few pieces for their site. I’ve enjoyed the information they’ve had to offer in the past, and have been honored with a few of their blog awards, so I jumped at the chance to help!
They requested two things:
An Open Letter to their readers about my experience with Endometriosis, and any thoughts I wanted to share; and
Tips & Tricks on handling painful sex that can sometimes accompany Endometriosis.
I jumped at the chance and began writing.
After I submitted the two pieces, I was then advised that Healthline.com would like to compensate me for my work. Whua?!? You’re going to PAY me to write about Endometriosis and spreading awareness and helping support others? …Now if you know me, you know I have this little unwritten moral code: if I make any funds dealing with Endometriosis awareness, fundraising, or the blog, I’m donating it straight to the Endometriosis Foundation of America. I asked if they could just donate the money directly to the EFA for me; however, due to accounting reasons and stuff, they couldn’t. So as soon as these funds hit my bank account *poof* they’ll be going straight to the EFA.
I will not, nor will I ever, profit from this damn disease.
BUT, I’m SO honored and excited and jazzed and thrilled and … excited! 😀 I wanted to share these two pieces with you. If either of them resonates with you, please feel free to share with anyone and everyone.
This year we’re releasing black Bloomin’ Uterus t-shirts. I received a lot of feedback that people wanted a darker color (to avoid stains and such), so here we go!
Once again, I’m working with teespring.com and they will donate 100% of the profits to the Endometriosis Foundation of America (which comes to about $5 from each sale). Instead of having a deadline, these shirts will always be available for purchase and will be printed and shipped directly to you.
There are several styles available to you this year:
Hanes Tagless Tee – $18.00
Women’s Premium Tee – $21.00
Women’s Tank Top – $22.00
Women’s V-Neck Tee – $21.00
Unisex Hoodie – $28.00
Long Sleeve Tee – $22.00
If you would like to place an order, please do so by clicking here, choosing your style(s), and size(s). Your purchase not only helps spread the word (I guarantee you will be stopped as asked what Endometriosis is) but helps fund the EFA’s efforts. And you get to wear a very stylish Bloomin’ Uterus *insert grin here*.
I cannot thank you enough for all of your support over the past few years. You’ve made this Journey so incredible.
If you’re like me and weren’t able to attend the October 28, 2017, medical conference in New York, you may be excited to learn that the Endometriosis Foundation of America just released their videos!
Woohoo! I got a hankerin’ to do more fundraising! And as usual, all of the profits are donated to the Endometriosis Foundation of America! None of this goes in my pocket. Why should it?
Now’s your chance (well, until July 10, 2017) to purchase your very own Bloomin’ Uterus mug ($10 for an 11 ounce mug) or Bloomin’ Uterus sticker ($6 which is roughly 3″ x 5″…or they have a larger size available, too). After July 10th, Teespring will end this campaign and send everything off to the printer!
Bloomin' Uterus 