About PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association

PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association is the leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit support organization advancing the cause for women and girls with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome serving over 50,000 members.

Our Vision

PCOS is one of the most critical, underserved, under-diagnosed and underfunded conditions affecting women’s health. There is a huge health disparity when it comes to PCOS diagnosis, funding and support. 50% of women and girls with PCOS are going undiagnosed. Additionally, it often takes women several years and up to seven doctors before they can find someone who can help them with the condition. Despite being one of the most common human disorders and the serious health consequences, PCOS awareness and support organizations, receive less than 0.1% of the government, corporate, foundation, and community funding that other health conditions receive. Our vision is that PCOS is treated as a public health priority.

Our Mission

Raise public awareness about PCOS and help girls and women with the condition overcome their symptoms and reduce their risk for life-threatening related diseases such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

PCOS Challenge Provides Support for
Women with PCOS Through:

National educational events such as the PCOS Awareness Symposium
PCOS Challenge Online Support Network – PCOSChallenge.com
PCOS Challenge television show
PCOS Challenge radio show
PCOS Challenge digital magazine
PCOS Challenge Nonprofit Organization Web Site – PCOSChallenge.org
PCOS Challenge Expert Series – PCOSChallenge.net
Local area support groups
Multi-week fitness, nutrition, and mental wellness challenges.

Androgen Excess and PCOS Society
Partners with PCOS Challenge

PCOS Challenge
Television Series

Because of individuals like you, we now touch the lives of tens-of-thousands of women with PCOS and their supporters each year through television and radio programming, a magazine publication, online and offline support groups, and education and awareness initiatives. Since our beginning, we’ve helped many women find answers that helped them overcome their struggles with infertility, weight gain, anxiety and depression and reduce their risk for life-threatening related conditions.

Please Donate to PCOS Challenge

PCOS awareness and support organizations, receive less than 0.1% of the government, corporate, and foundation funding that other health conditions receive. Nearly two-thirds of our annual budget comes from individual donors like you. When you make a donation or become a Hope for PCOS monthly giver, you can take comfort in knowing that your regular contributions are constantly working, day in and day out, to improve the lives of women with PCOS through:

Vital online and community programs;
National educational and awareness initiatives;
Cable television and radio programming reaching millions of households.

Your contribution has a direct impact on the lives of women with PCOS.

If you have questions about PCOS Challenge programs and ways that you can support our efforts, please contact us.

Important Facts and Research Regarding PCOS

PCOS is a complex hormonal, metabolic and reproductive disorder that affects 1-in-10 women of childbearing age.
PCOS is one of the most common human disorders. It is the leading cause of infertility and the most common endocrine disorder in younger women.
Women with PCOS constitute the largest group of women at risk for developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate 50% of women with PCOS will become diabetic or prediabetic by age 40.
Some studies have shown women with PCOS to be at three times higher risk for endometrial cancer, two times higher risk for ovarian cancer, and two to four times higher risk for breast cancer.
Some studies have shown due to symptoms of anxiety and depression, suicide attempts are up to seven times more common in women with PCOS than other women.
Pre-teens and teens can develop PCOS. Earlier diagnosis can give them the opportunity to better manage the emotional, internal and physical effects of PCOS. It can also help them prevent the onset of more serious illnesses related to PCOS.
Despite affecting millions of women and the serious health consequences, PCOS is unknown to most people and a staggering 50% of the women living with PCOS are going undiagnosed.

Sources: https://pcoschallenge.org/sources

About the Founder

Sasha Ottey MHA, MT (ASCP) is Founder and Executive Director of PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association. Sasha started the organization after she was diagnosed with PCOS and experienced great dissatisfaction with the availability of support resources for women with the condition. Since its programs started in 2009, PCOS Challenge, has quickly grown to over 50,000 members worldwide including its online and offline support groups. PCOS Challenge is innovative in its multimedia approach to support. It produces the national award winning cable television show PCOS Challenge, a health series which follows ten women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome as they have their lives transformed by naturopathic and allopathic medical experts and coaches. The organization’s online support network, PCOSChallenge.com, has been called the “Facebook for women with PCOS” by its members, and its popular PCOS Challenge radio show features internationally recognized PCOS experts, New York Times best-selling authors and real life stories from women with PCOS. The organization also provides offline support networks, webinars, and educational products.

Sasha is a Clinical and Research Microbiologist with a Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Laboratory Science from Howard University and a Master’s in Health Administration from the University of Phoenix.

For information, visit the PCOS Challenge nonprofit Web site, http://www.pcoschallenge.org, or the PCOS Challenge television and radio show Web site, http://www.pcos.tv.