Affecting approximately one in 10 women globally, endometriosis can cause debilitating pain for sufferers. However, both culturally and medically, it’s not a widely recognized condition. Shannon Cohn, the creator and director of Below the Belt, aims to change that with the launch of this new documentary. Through the lens of four patients urgently searching for answers to mysterious symptoms, the film exposes widespread problems in our healthcare systems. It reveals how millions of people with endometriosis are effectively silenced. The film is scheduled for broadcast on PBS in spring 2023.

The Sept. 14 event is an opportunity for the community to advocate for the roles MIT and others can play in improving diagnosis and treatment of gynecology diseases in clinical practice, and bolster calls for improved funding for research. We hope you will be able to attend.

If you will be in the Boston area on Wednesday evening, Sept. 14, 2022, we hope you will join us for a special event – an advance screening of the PBS film about endometriosis, called Below the Belt. The screening will be followed by an expert panel discussion with clinicians, scientists, and patients from the MIT community about the challenges in integrating basic and clinical research to improve patient care.

The documentary film, executive produced by Hillary Rodham Clinton, addresses the social and scientific challenges of endometriosis, through first-person stories. Follow this link for tickets and see the invitation below for information. The film viewing is in-person only. Although virtual participation in the panel is not yet scheduled, we will provide updates on the event, including news about a virtual option, on the CGR listserv.