Danielle Ridenour

September 22, 2014

ENC 3331
Professor Wright

Chronic Female Pelvic Pain Awareness in Central Florida: Proposal

Chronic Female Pelvic Pain is a condition about 90 million women suffer from
globally. When suffering from Chronic Female Pelvic Pain there is unexplained cramping,
soreness and tightness in the abdomen and pelvic area. Usually the condition stems from a
combination of other chronic illnesses that affect the abdominals, pelvis, and genitalia of
women, such as, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Interstitial Cystitis, Vulvodynia, and Vulvar
Vestibulitis. Millions of women in the United States suffer from one or more of these
conditions, however there is little advocacy or support for them.
When being diagnosed with a pelvic or gynecological illness, most women feel
ashamed and embarrassed. Which in turn causes them to keep quiet about the diagnosis
and immense pain they suffer from on a day-to-day basis. Not to mention, there is no cure
for most of these diseases. Some women work with a team of doctors to create a treatment
plan that results in a series of experiments with different modalities. The list ranges from
intense pharmaceuticals and physical therapy to acupuncture and hypnosis. Less fortunate
women bounce between doctors with no answers as to what is causing their pain.
Chronic Pelvic Pain and the diseases that coexist with it are enough to push a
woman into isolation. The constant pain is enough to break ones spirit. However, when you

add the trial and error of treatment, plus the side effects and time devoted to the
treatments, and the embarrassment of the disease many women slip into a deep
depression. Not only do they feel alone, they have no one to relate to or express concerns
because the nature of the disease is personal and intimate. Most patients feel
uncomfortable speaking about health concerns, but when it comes womens health issues
there is certain stigma attached to discussing them. Women suffering from these conditions
are essentially left to deal with every mental and physical aspect of the disease alone.
I am interested in bringing awareness to this issue because I suffer from Chronic
Pelvic Pain, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Vulvodynia, and Interstitial Cystitis. I was diagnosed
in 2010 my sophomore year in college, but I had been suffering for five years prior to that.
My pain was brushed off by my family, my friends, and most importantly by my doctor. I
changed my physician and within a few months I underwent intense treatment, got pulled
out of school, lost connection with my social circle, and finally got diagnosed with severe
depression as a result of the illnesses.
I went in search of my own support system. I was determined to return my quality
of life, and not succumb to the fear and pain of chronic illness. Over the years, I have gained
a fantastic team of physicians of all types that work together in returning me to optimal
health. Other women are not as fortunate or as open as I was to seek out and accept
support. Nationally, there are a few support systems for women suffering from these
diseases. There is also an online community and several Facebook groups dedicated to
women suffering from Chronic Female Pelvic Pain. Locally, there is nothing to support a
woman emotionally or bring awareness to the community of the many women suffering
from Chronic Female Pelvic Pain and associated diseases.

I have done extensive research on the issue since being diagnosed. For my civic
engagement project this semester I plan to create awareness in the local community about
Chronic Female Pelvic Pain. I would also like to focus on providing local support the
patients suffering from Chronic Female Pelvic Pain and associated diseases. I have thought
in the past of facilitating my own support group locally, but I was focusing on my own
healing, and never had the time. The closest physical support group is in Tampa, Florida. I
will need to organize a group of patients to attend the Tampa support group at Seabreeze
Physical Therapy. By organizing a trip to Tampa I can see if an Orlando support group will
be successful. I can produce fliers with an RSVP and distribute them to my doctors for a
meet up and carpool to the Tampa support group. I belong to a few support groups on
Facebook, and have made lifelong friends that have created a support system for me of
women that can relate to how I feel suffering from Chronic Female Pelvic Pain. However,
they are spread all throughout the United States. It would be nice to gain and provide
support with local women suffering from Chronic Female Pelvic Pain in the local Orlando
area.
Spreading awareness in the community will be a more difficult task than organizing
a support group. The subject matter surrounding these various illnesses can create a
tension and uneasiness within people. When presenting the cause to the general public I
must maintain an equal amount of ethos as I do pathos. I will use scientific data and
explanations to create awareness. I must pay attention to word choice in order to make
people feel comfortable with the topic I am showcasing, and see that this is a serious issue
affecting millions of women that deserves to have more attention brought upon it. To
achieve this I could hold a fundraiser for already established and credible sources

providing support to women suffering from Chronic Female Pelvic Pain and related
diseases. I can also hold an open support group for the community to hear personal stories
of local women that suffer from chronic pelvic pain.
I will need to research the statistics of women suffering from Chronic Female Pelvic
Pain and other related diseases in the Central Florida area in order to know the scope of
patients. When I have the numbers I can decide how to proceed with my support group
plan. To begin, I need to look at other support programs and emulate what they have
produced. I will collaborate with my Cognitive Behavioral Therapist, who runs a support
group for veterans, to see what emotional support I need to provide patients as a
coordinator of the support group. Also, I need to research ways that other groups have
spread awareness to non-sufferers about diseases. I need to learn the tactics they use to
promote awareness and increase community involvement. I could possibly speak with
family members and friends of patients to see how they are best receptive to receiving
information about Chronic Female Pelvic Pain.
I have the ability to carry this project out because not only do I suffer from the
diseases; I have thrived living with Chronic Female Pelvic Pain. I am dedicating my
education to learning the rhetoric involved in successfully spreading awareness about this
delicate issue. I will use a combination of ethos and pathos when I craft this project. I want
to create community awareness so patients no longer have to suffer alone, and the stigma
attached to Chronic Female Pelvic Pain is erased. I have a genuine passion for helping other
women learn to thrive with these Chronic Female Pelvic Pain and the associated diseases.