Mukwonago, Wisconsin - Sherrie Palm, author of the award-winning book "Pelvic Organ Prolapse: The Silent Epidemic", and the founder/executive director of APOPS, Association for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Support, a U.S.-based 501c3 nonprofit with international arms, is requesting contributions of any size to fund STIGMA*STRIDE Pennies for POP campaign.

After Palm’s book was named winner for Women’s Health in the USA Book News National “Best Books 2009” Awards, Palm founded the nonprofit organization to provide guidance and support to women suffering from pelvic organ prolapse, or POP.

POP is a little talked about female health condition that half the female population will experience throughout their lifetime. More than 300,000 surgeries are performed annually for the condition. A woman’s pelvic organs can shift out of normal positions from a variety of causes, such as childbirth, menopause, genetics, heavy lifting, chronic constipation, hysterectomy, or neuromuscular diseases. Women navigate embarrassing symptoms for years before being diagnosed and they suffer with pain, pressure, constipation, and incontinence, which impacts them physically, emotionally, socially, and sexually, as well as disrupts fitness and employment activities.

Pelvic organ prolapse has received little press or public acknowledgement, despite being on medical record for over 4,000 years. Palm calls POP the “silent epidemic.” Many women quietly suffer with POP due to embarrassment discussing their symptoms with health care practitioners.

Palm’s book "Pelvic Organ Prolapse: The Silent Epidemic" fills a void in women’s health awareness. She defines POP and shares details about her own personal experience. Like most women, Palm had never heard about the condition until she was diagnosed and was in an advanced stage. Palm’s book explores pelvic organ prolapse from all angles, providing the information women need to recognize POP symptoms, understand POP causes, and navigate POP treatments.

Palm said, “The time is here to generate viral awareness of pelvic organ prolapse and our efforts to generate change. We truly need everyone’s support. If each person who reads this donates $1 to help us make POP common knowledge for all women, and then forwards this information to family, friends, and social and employment networks asking them to join the campaign, we’ll spawn viral energy and forward momentum. Pelvic organ prolapse disrupts the lives of women every day; millions suffer in silence with symptoms they don’t understand. I’m hopeful everyone will consider a $1 donation to help APOPS generate change; every voice matters!”

Additional information about APOPS, pelvic organ prolapse, speaking presentations, or this book is available at:
http://www.pelvicorganprolapsesupport.org or http://sherriepalm.com.

“This book and the charity campaign tell an important story that will help many women. We are proud to help spread the word,” said Robert Fletcher, CEO of Strategic Book Publishing and Rights Agency.

"PELVIC ORGAN PROLAPSE: THE SILENT EPIDEMIC" (ISBN: 978-1-60693-965-9) is now available for $23.50 and can be ordered through the publisher’s website:
http://www.eloquentbooks.com/PelvicOrganProlapse.html, Amazon, or the website of Barnes & Noble.