Testing insights, endo in politics and our next event

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This last month has been great here in Berlin. I got to spend time with some of you imagining and co-creating our dream endo and adeno app and I'm very excited about where it's leading. 🤩

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Now, as the summer ends and the season starts to change into a more indoorsy and cosier one, I'm excited to start unveiling the events we're putting together for our community, starting with our next meetup!

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Read ahead to find out more about:

• 🥴 The link between endometriosis and type 2 diabetes.
• 🩺 How endometriosis is making an appearance in some of the upcoming Berlin election manifestos.
• 🪩 Insights from our prototype testing rounds.
• 📱 Our next community event.

Endo news

A few highlights on what has happened in the endo world in the past weeks:

🔬 Research hope

One of the most frustrating things about endo is finding out that doctors don't really know what the underlying causes are and that research, and therefore treatment options are scarce. A research team at Northwestern University has developed a stem-cell model of endometriosis tissue to help them conduct more in-depth research into how it develops, how it reshapes gene activity, etc.

They now have a renewable, realistic model to test what's actually going on, and eventually, what treatments might work. More here.

🤺 Dangerous liaisons

A large study conducted by George Mason University researchers found that women with endometriosis have a 46% higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes.

Not the news we like to hear, but absolutely important to be aware of. The link seems to be stronger in premenopausal women, those with a BMI <30 and those with endometriosis infiltrating other organs.

This indicates a correlation, not an inevitability, but the researchers suggest that the heightened inflammation caused by endometriosis may exacerbate metabolic dysfunction. More here.

🗳️ Friends in politics

Female health is getting more attention across the board in Berlin's upcoming election on September 20. The SPD and Die Linke are both calling for more research funding and better clinical care for endometriosis, with Die Linke pledging to strengthen the Berlin Endometriosis Center and pilot a multimodal pain-therapy program. The Greens have included a menopause strategy for the city administration in their manifesto.

While all of these are only pledges so far, it's at least a sign that awareness of female health and endometriosis is increasing and starting to find a place on the political agenda too.

Save the date

The next community event will be on September 22nd! You can already register here.

I'll be sharing the location early next week, once the venue is fully confirmed. It will be a larger space this time, so please feel free to share with as many others as you want!

There are more events on the way, some will be online sessions with experts, but I'll share more once the details are final. Stay tuned 📻.

Insights from app testing

Over the past month I've been conducting app testing with some of you to get feedback on what the Calala App will be. I couldn't be more grateful for your time, ideas and generosity. I'd like to give back by summarising a few of the insights.

The non-negotiable:

Tracking.

But only if it doesn't become an additional job and if it gives something valuable in return. Insights on your personal patterns, reports for your doctor, personalised recommendations, etc., and preferably right away.

The management plan.

This is something that was very dear to all of you and one of the features that should make the Calala app different from other apps: the possibility to create a personalised plan that guides you through changes that can make your symptoms better.

Community.

Personal connections and recommendations are core to the Calala experience. How exactly it'll work is still TBD, but the message is loud and clear: there should be a space for us to connect and exchange with each other.

A few unexpected ideas also came up and I look forward to exploring them and testing with you in future rounds: SOS support kits, more focus on making the app a place that feels good rather than one that reminds you of how challenging the condition is, cycle education to help you better understand how endo symptoms change across the cycle, etc.

The next stage is to take all that valuable feedback and make the next version better. I'll keep you posted.

Co-create with us

We want to make endometriosis less lonely and more visible. That's why community is at the core of what we do.

As part of our mission, we have developed a prototype companion app for women with endometriosis. The app is designed to guide you through your endometriosis diagnosis and help you manage your condition. If you haven't signed up yet but would like to be one of the first to test it, just click the link below:

EARLY ACCESS

If there's anything at all you'd like to share or let us know, please don't hesitate, we'll be very happy to hear from you!

You shape what we build.

With love from Berlin,
Ivonne from Calala 🫶🏼