Every woman who has shared her creativity on these pages has endometriosis. Each of them falls somewhere on a puzzling continuum. For some, the impact on her life is minimal; for a few others, at the other extreme, the condition may mean that she is severely incapacitated. The youngest of the contributors is seventeen years old. The contributors are women who happen to have endometriosis, but despite it they are creative, interesting, original, divergent, strong people whose talents are bigger than their condition and they are not defined by it. So what is endometriosis? Endometriosis is ... .. a devastating, debilitating and distressing gynaecological condition. A woman with endometriosis may: * be unable to have children: between 30 and 40% of women with endometriosis are infertile * endure constant and extreme pain * experience social isolation and loneliness because it is too painful to move: sometimes simply getting out of bed is too hard, let alone leaving her home * be afflicted by depression and desolation, even feeling that her life is not worth living because there is no quality to it * face the breakdown of relationships because of the stress caused by endometriosis * have to come to terms with being unable to work and coping with financial hardship; in some circumstances, endometriosis may be classified as a disability. It is disturbing that whilst as many people in the UK are diagnosed with endometriosis as with diabetes, there is a significant disparity in awareness and acceptance of these conditions. Although endometriosis affects so many lives, there is a significant lack of recognition or understanding. Despite its severity, the cause of endometriosis is still unknown, there is still no cure and, at present, it takes an average of seven years for a woman to get a diagnosis. Endometriosis ... ... affects ten per cent of women and girls in your area. Endometrium is the tissue that lines the inside of the womb. It is believed that endometriosis occurs when cells from the endometrium are found outside the womb, predominantly surviving near the uterus, bowel, bladder, ovary or fallopian tube. These cells then multiply, swell and break down, but they have no means of escape and cause pain, inflammation, adhesions and cysts. (Text copyright © Gwyneth M Roberts 2003 for the National Endometriosis Society) Endometriosis is a complex and perplexing condition and this is only a very simple summary. You will find much more information on the websites of the two national UK charities for endometriosis. Endometriosis SHE Trust UK National Endometriosis Society If you would like to make a donation to further research and to enhance the support services available to women with endometriosis or their partners and families, please do so via the charity websites. The work of Crescendo is supported by: