This is Infertility

There is nothing more fundamental to life than the urge to continue it. But while it may be the most natural thing in the world, childbirth is far from the easiest and no two fertility journeys are the same. For that reason, we are breaking from the typical podcast form. Each episode is hosted by a different voice who brings their own unique point of view to the complex and ever-changing world of infertility. Our hosts are licensed clinical social workers, patient care advocates, clinical psychiatrists, reproductive endocrinologists, real fertility patients, and others who are, in one way or another, experts in the world of fertility. We fuse narrative storytelling with experience and science to give you a new perspective on what it’s really like to go through this journey.

Episode 32: Endometriosis & Activism: Endo What?

On the surface today’s episode is about two women. One, Shannon Cohn, an award-winning filmmaker, attorney, and activist, and the other, Mary Alice Hatch, an endometriosis and women’s health advocate. But it’s really an episode about almost 200 million women – that’s the estimated number of women who suffer from endometriosis in the world. Shannon and Mary Alice are co-founders of an endometriosis awareness organization called Endo What? In the third episode of our special Endo series, we hear how this organization was created, and how they’re changing the way we talk about endometriosis. Today’s host is Taylor Burbach, Patient Care Supervisor at Progyny.

Guests include: Shannon Cohn and Mary Alice Hatch from Endo What?

For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page, and Endo What?

To learn more about endometriosis, check out Progyny’s What is Endometriosis Infographic.

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

Host

Taylor Burbach, Patient Care Supervisor, Progyny.

As a patient care supervisor, she helps oversee a team of dedicated patient care advocates. She is also recognized as a reproductive health advocate in her community as a Clue Ambassador. Prior to joining Progyny she organized two Darwin Day Colloquiums in 2014 and 2015 and helped organize the inaugural meeting of the Southeastern Evolutionary Perspectives Society. She recently discovered Krav Maga, which she practices in her free time.

Guests

Shannon Cohn, co-founder of Endo What?, filmmaker, lawyer and activist.

Shannon’s work has been broadcast on PBS, Nat Geo and Discovery Channel, among others and is the filmmaker behind ENDO WHAT?, hailed by The Guardian as “film of the year” and by Newsweek as “the first step in a plan for change in endometriosis.” Before becoming a filmmaker, she practiced international law and was part of the legal team that prosecuted Enron. She has endometriosis and has two young daughters with a 7x increased risk of having the disease.

Mary Alice Hatch, co-founder of Endo What?

Mary is an endometriosis and women’s health advocate. Through her work with the Marriott Daughters Foundation, she is dedicated to elevating communities through educational, human services and health initiatives. She founded the Boston Center for Endometriosis, a center focused on multi-disciplinary care for endometriosis that pulls together internationally-recognized leaders from Boston Children’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.