With this unprecedented $5-million gift, one family hopes to bring overdue attention to endometriosis care in Canada

Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women of reproductive age – impacting an estimated two million women in Canada and approximately 190 million women globally. There is no known cure, and patients can wait an average of 7–10 years to receive care.  

With their generous gift, the Friedrichsen Cooper Family is making it possible for Sinai Health to tap into the power of technology to improve early diagnosis and treatment access for women coping with symptoms of endometriosis and pelvic pain. This investment will also help accelerate efforts to advance research for better pain management and train the next generation of expert endometriosis surgeons.  

From lived experience to advocacy: A family’s push for change in endometriosis care

Even though endometriosis is so prevalent, many people still don’t understand how much it affects a person’s daily life. Individuals living with endometriosis can suffer from severe menstrual pain, chronic pelvic pain, fatigue and infertility. Dealing with the physical toll of symptoms, along with the stress of navigating a difficult road to answers, can also have a significant impact on a person’s relationships, social life, and their ability to perform the way they want to at work or at school.  

Together, all these factors can have a devastating impact on a person’s mental health. According to The Endometriosis Network Canada, up to 8 in 10 people with endometriosis experience symptoms of depression and anxiety. It can take a lot of energy to keep functioning when dealing with chronic pain. Women living with endometriosis often feel that they have to ‘mask’ their symptoms to keep moving through life, causing many to navigate difficult feelings of social isolation, decrease self-esteem, loss and grief.  

Dana Friedrichsen, daughter of John Friedrichsen and Tracy Cooper, spent almost 10 years looking for answers and support for her debilitating pain before finally being diagnosed with endometriosis at the age of 26. Now, Dana is a passionate advocate for awareness and access to care for people living with the condition. She proudly serves on the board of Directors of The Endometriosis Network Canada – an organization committed to providing inclusive education, support and resources for people living with and affected by endometriosis.  

The family’s experience supporting Dana and other loved ones through an ongoing journey with endometriosis and pelvic pain is what makes them so passionate about ensuring others don’t have to suffer in silence. They hope their gift will act as a catalyst to kickstart a significant increase in funding and activity towards endometriosis awareness and treatment. They also hope it will help to start more conversations about the stigma that still exists around the condition, with many women still struggling to have their symptoms taken seriously.

“Through the personal journey we have been on, we became aware of how under-resourced endometriosis care is in Canada,” says Tracy Cooper, on behalf of her family.  

“We’ve seen firsthand the negative impact that endometriosis has on young women, and by extension, on the people closest to them. When we learned how many people are impacted by this disease, it pushed us to look at what we could do to help others who are suffering with endo and its symptoms.”  

Driving advancement in digital tools and research to improve early diagnosis

The Friedrichsen Cooper Family’s gift will fuel meaningful progress in how endometriosis is diagnosed, treated and understood in Canada. In addition to providing funds for fellowships that will allow the next generation of endometriosis specialists to train under Sinai Health’s expert team of pelvic pain specialists and surgeons, it will establish the Friedrichsen Cooper Family Chair in Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain. This Chair will fuel continued exploration into the causes of endometriosis and pelvic pain, and the development of more effective diagnosis and treatment.  

The gift will also kickstart the development of a new AI-powered tool to help clinicians and patients more accurately identify pelvic pain conditions, aiming to shorten the long diagnostic journeys many patients face. This tool will leverage the power of AI learning to distinguish between endometriosis and other causes of pelvic pain, such as pelvic inflammatory disease or fibroids. Once complete, it will be published as an app named the “DANA (Diagnostic AI for Navigating Abdominopelvic) Pain App” and made available to clinicians and patients across Canada.

“Our hope is that our donation will drive progress in clinical care and research by allowing prominent doctors to work towards advancements in endometriosis care,” says Tracy. “We believe that having an endometriosis Chair will bring attention and visibility to this chronically underfunded area, highlighting the commitment to resolve shortcomings of female health care in Canada, and especially women suffering from endometriosis”.

You can help make sure no one has to suffer in silence  

Sinai Health is deeply grateful to The Friedrichsen Cooper Family for playing a leadership role in advancing the future of care for endometriosis and pelvic pain in Canada. But there is still so much work to be done to ensure that women get the answers and care that they deserve. Will you join them in supporting Sinai Health’s efforts to ensure no one has to suffer in silence? Donate today.