A few weeks ago, The Diva Education Team had the opportunity to visit The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Long Island, New York. Diva International Inc. has committed to provide menstrual cups for the Feinstein institute’s ROSE Study (Research OutSmarts Endometriosis) in an effort to help advance the care and knowledge of a disease that affects 1 in 10 women.

You may be wondering: What role does the DivaCup play in all of this?

One element of the study includes asking participants to provide a sample of menstrual flow through the use of the DivaCup. The DivaCup easily collects flow, is super comfortable and if women choose, can be used as their preferred femcare option after they’ve submitted the sample.

For those not familiar with endometriosis, approximately 5.5 million women and girls suffer from endometriosis in North America alone. Endometriosis occurs when the endometrium, the tissue that lines the uterus and is shed every month, grows outside of the uterus on other organs or structures in the body. Symptoms can range from painful menstrual cramps to incapacitating abdominal and pelvic pain and infertility. While the severity of endometriosis varies, the more extensive forms of the disorder can cause severe pain and disability. In addition, approximately 40% of infertility is associated with endometriosis.

The team at the Feinstein Institute are welcoming and enthusiastic about the work they are doing. Everyone we met was positive about the study and thankful to have the opportunity to play a part in the research. Bringing years of research and experience together, the team is diverse, dynamic and excited for what can be achieved through the aid of the DivaCup. We met with Peter K. Gregersen, MD and Christine Metz, PhD  the lead investigators on the study, along with the researchers, nurses and medical school interns.  We got to tour the lab (where we saw some fascinating cell samples in the microscope collected from menstrual flow using the DivaCup) and had the opportunity to talk through the many advances the team has already made in the study.

All in all, the trip was both inspiring and educational.

The goal of the ROSE study, which has received funding from the Endometriosis Foundation of America, founded by Dr. Tamer Seckin, is to investigate the cause of endometriosis and bring improved diagnostics and treatments for women living with the disease.

Current diagnosis relies on pelvic exams and ultrasound imaging coupled with laparoscopic surgery. Women with more severe endometriosis often require surgical intervention to relieve symptoms and it is not uncommon for a woman to require repeat surgery. Hormone treatments may be effective in many women, but can have unpleasant side effects. Improved diagnostic methods and better tolerated and more effective medical therapies are needed.

Researchers involved in ROSE are using several approaches to study endometriosis. These include efforts to better understand the genetic basis of the disease and relate this what is occurring at the cellular level in the disease, with particular emphasis on the role of stem cells and the immune system.

They are receiving great feedback and response, but the study is hoping to receive hundreds of samples each year and needs your help! Women both living with and living without endometriosis in both Canada and the United States can participate in the ROSE study to help find answers for those who are suffering.

To learn more about getting involved visit the ROSE Study webpage.

The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research

Headquartered in Manhasset, NY, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is home to international scientific leaders in many areas including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, psychiatric disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sepsis, human genetics, pulmonary hypertension, leukemia, neuroimmunology, and medicinal chemistry. The Feinstein Institute, part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, ranks in the top 6th percentile of all National Institutes of Health grants awarded to research centers. For more information, visit www.FeinsteinInstitute.org.