In October 2023, patients and doctors all over the world that have heard of Dr Redwine, read his work, met him or were lucky to work with him, found out that he died. A prominent figure amongst endometriosis specialists, Dr Redwine was a pillar of strength and knowledge for patients as well. Via his website or Endometropolis, many endometriosis sufferers benefitted from his help; from seeking his advice on what to do, to asking him to review their surgical photos. With a witty sense of humour, Dr Redwine saved many endometriosis sufferers from having wrong surgeries.
Although I did not meet him in person, over the years since becoming part of endometriosis communities, I have exchanged a few words with him. I also had the honour to have him reading and leaving a review for my first ever medical work. Unknown to him that he was reading the work of a non-doctor, Dr Redwine gave my work the thumbs up for the correctness of information. He also accepted to write two articles for my website endoro-online.org.
Born to improve the lives of millions of sufferers
Born in 1948, David Redwine became a gynaecologist; one who would become interested in endometriosis, challenging the most used narrative of how endometriosis is formed and treated. A personal interest led him to want to know more about endometriosis, so all of us, we sort of owe it to the person who made Dr Redwine intensively study endometriosis.
An incredible figure in the medical society, Dr. David Redwine has devoted his career to understanding and treating endometriosis. Starting from a small clinic in Oregon, he quickly grew up becoming a world sought specialist with patients flying from various parts of the USA and other continents to have surgery with him.
Guided by desire to understand endometriosis better and seeing flaws in Sampson’s theory, Dr Redwine became a pioneer in endometriosis research, making important contributions to the understanding how to properly treat endometriosis, inspiring doctors to adopt excision and follow in his practice in endometriosis excision surgery.
His life on earth might have been short, but his work for sure will last for centuries to come. Carried on by doctors who dedicate their careers to endometriosis sufferers and by patients who learnt a thing or two about endometriosis from him.
What patients say
I first learned about dr. Redwine, when I searched for answers while waiting on an assessment for debilitating symptoms, which I initially feared were signs of much more severe disease. Although I now know that my symptoms started from the onset of my first period at age 14, I first learned about endometriosis when I was 29. At that time, my first – and thus far only – son stopped breastfeeding, which made my symptoms escalate to the point where I was feeling miserable. After being dismissed and gaslighted by my GP, I was eager to find an explanation; and it didn’t take me long to find it. I tried my best to learn as much as possible to prepare for a visit with a local gynaecologist. That is when I stumbled upon dr. Redwine’s endopaedia website. It became a game changer in my understanding of the condition; not only did it help me understand what was wrong with me, I also quickly realized the inadequacy of the treatment options.
Dr. Redwine’s work directly contributed to my choice of declining the local gynaecologists offer to put me back on hormonal suppression (despite that I suffered with depression from them previously and despite not even wanting to give me a formal diagnosis!). It also empowered me to decide that I would not try to opt for surgery here in Denmark. Instead, I decided to search abroad for the help that I so desperately needed from an expert who could offer me better chances of long-lasting relief. And although I never met nor engaged with dr. Redwine, I cried when I learned of his passing. I will forever be deeply grateful to him for his tremendous contribution to the endometriosis community, enabling me and so many others to opt for better care.”
“Thanks in large part to his innovative efforts on behalf of individuals suffering from this disease, Dr. David Redwine has had a profound impact on and transformation of the world of gynaecology. His contributions to the field of endometriosis research, excision surgery, and patient advocacy have made him a modern-day hero in this community. Being a strong supporter of people with endometriosis—a crippling ailment that affects millions of women globally—he has gained recognition for his creative methods and unwavering quest of knowledge. His impact is felt across the world and will be remembered for his contributions to the advancement of care”
Through the eyes of his work colleague, Nancy Petersen
Dr David Redwine began his in-depth investigation of endometriosis after watching his first wife struggle with the disease, gaslighting and difficulty finding adequate treatment. Eventually a colleague excised the rest of her endo changing the course of her life.
At the same time, he began to notice that his patients with endometriosis were not doing well with the accepted standards of treatment that included ablation of the lesions and birth control. He was prompted to take them back to surgery to try to determine what was going on. What he found were powder burn collections of carbon from the laser treatment so he excised the areas and sent them to the pathologist. This simple curiosity eventually led to stunning changes in endometriosis care world wide. In addition to the carbon staining he found the active glands and stroma of endometriosis unfazed in the treated area.
He likened himself to a country gynecologist living 145 miles from the nearest interstate highway. In fact he was a compassionate scientist as well as a gynecologist who had the ability to listen carefully to patients, to follow their symptoms leading him to stunning findings that flew in the face of generally accepted ideas. His capacity to listen salvaged the quality of lives of patients all over the world as others began to listen to his findings on the true symptoms of the disease, its impact on our lives, what it looked like, where it was found and how to remove it all. He was one of us
Nancy F Petersen RN retired
Nancy’s Nook Facebook Endometriosis Education
Nancysnookendo.com