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Dorchester County proclaims March 2026 Endometriosis Awareness Month; survivor urges education and research
Summary
The county council issued a proclamation recognizing March 2026 as Endometriosis Awareness Month. Shannon Hanwell, founder of Endo Warriors of the Eastern Shore, gave an emotional account of diagnosis delays, multiple surgeries and mental-health struggles, urging broader education and medical awareness on the Eastern Shore.
Dorchester County Council on March 17 read and adopted a proclamation recognizing March 2026 as Endometriosis Awareness Month and calling attention to the disease’s prevalence and diagnostic challenges.
The proclamation notes that endometriosis affects roughly 1 in 10 women worldwide, can cause chronic pain, fertility issues and significant emotional distress, and often takes years to diagnose. At the meeting, Shannon Hanwell — who identified herself as a wife, mother, founder of Endo Warriors of the Eastern Shore and an ambassador for the Endometriosis Association — described a personal history of prolonged pain, 20 surgeries, and mental-health crises that culminated in a suicide attempt as a teenager.
Hanwell said the condition is often missed in medical training and that more education and awareness are needed, particularly on the Eastern Shore where she said specialist knowledge is scarce. "Endo affects each of us differently," Hanwell said. "I will not stop until when someone says the word endometriosis, every single person will know what it is as much as they know what strep throat." Council members thanked Hanwell for sharing her story and indicated support for ongoing awareness efforts.
The proclamation was signed by council members and the council invited Hanwell and her group to continue outreach work within the county.
