For many women, being told that chronic pelvic pain is just part of life is nothing new. Years often pass before a doctor gives that pain a name.
Endometriosis - called the "missed disease" - affects one in 10 women of reproductive age worldwide.
Despite how common it is, getting diagnosed can take an average of five years - and in some cases up to 12 years.
In that time, patients go through multiple referrals, tests and procedures, all while managing ongoing pain.
A historic $5 million donation from the Friedrichsen Cooper Family to Sinai Health Foundation is set to change that. It's the largest gift ever made to this area of care in Canadian history.
The funds will go toward research, training and new technology.
Of that total, $1 million has been designated to support the development of DANA, an AI-powered app being built right here at TMU.
Dafna Sussman, professor of biomedical engineering and director of the graduate program at TMU, is co-leading that effort. Her goal: use AI to help doctors catch endometriosis earlier, and spare patients years of needless pain.
Her role reflects a rare expertise in Canada, bridging biomedical engineering with obstetrics and gynecology research, while building AI systems that directly centre patients and support clinicians.
Why endometriosis is so hard to diagnosis
Endometriosis happens when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it. It can cause severe period pain, chronic pelvic pain, fatigue and fertility challenges.
For some, the condition affects work, school and mental health.
"For years, pain in women has been normalized," Sussman says. "Patients are told, It's normal,' without anyone asking how severe it is or why it's so extreme."
Even when doctors investigate, confirming a diagnosis isn't always straightforward. Symptoms vary widely and don't always match how serious the disease actually is.
Ultrasounds and MRIs can help, but only if a specialist knows exactly what to look for.
In many cases, the only way to confirm endometriosis is through laparoscopic surgery, an invasive procedure doctors typically hold off on for as long as possible.
"Correct diagnostic evaluation often relies on ruling out other causes rather than ruling endometriosis in," explains Sussman.
The result: patients cycle through years of referrals and repeat tests, often feeling dismissed and no closer to answers.
Sussman's background is in medical biophysics and clinical imaging.
She has research experience at The Hospital for Sick Children, and now leads the Maternal-Fetal Imaging (MFI) Laboratory at TMU.
Her team uses MRI data, patient records and clinical notes to spot patterns that might go otherwise unnoticed. She's applying that same approach to pelvic health research.
"AI can analyze complex patterns, correlations, trends and diagnostic markers across symptoms, clinical narratives and imaging reports," she says. "These multidimensional relationships are difficult to detect through traditional assessments alone."
Her aim isn't to replace doctors. It's to give them better, more complete information so patients can get answers sooner.
Meet DANA: The AI app that aims to cut diagnosis time
The centrepiece of Sussman's work is DANA - short for Diagnostic AI for Navigating Abdominopelvic Pain.
Named in honour of the Friedrichsen Cooper Family's daughter, Dana, whose personal experience with endometriosis inspired their generosity, the patient-facing app will be made available to clinicians and patients across Canada within five years as part of the family's gift to Sinai Health.
Unlike basic-tracking apps, DANA is designed to converse with the patient, similarly to how a knowledgeable doctor would.
"Rather than functioning as a passive log, DANA is intended to feel more like a guided conversation with an expert clinician asking the right follow-up questions, in the right sequence," says Sussman.
The app will ask patients smart follow-up questions, similar to how ChatGPT carries on a conversation.
It won't just record symptoms, it will analyze how patients describe them, then combine that information with information about the individual to generate tailored recommendations.
The goals of DANA include: getting patients to the right specialist sooner, helping doctors identify likely causes of chronic pelvic pain, reducing unnecessary procedures and making diagnosis more equitable for all Canadians, no matter where they live.
"If we could expedite diagnosis for everyone equally," Sussman says, "that would count as success."
A tool built on listening
For Sussman, this work is about more than engineering.
Patients with endometriosis often describe years of being dismissed or referred elsewhere before receiving adequate care.
"We want patients, especially those who have struggled to be heard, to know that their experiences matter," says Sussman.
"This research is grounded in listening to those experiences and working toward a healthcare system where patients are believed sooner, diagnosed earlier and supported more fully," she continued.
DANA is one of several biomedical engineering initiatives co-led by Dafna Sussman and her Sinai Health clinical collaborator, Dr. Nucelio Lemos, who serve as co-principal Investigators on the project.
Dr. Lemos is currently the only gynecologist in Canada specializing in neuropelveology an emerging medical field focused on diagnosing and treating pelvic nerve diseases and together they aim to improve care for patients navigating complex abdominopelvic pain.
For TMU, the project shows how engineering research can directly address longstanding gaps in women's health.
But for Sussman personally, it represents a chance to transform a diagnostic journey that has stretched nearly a decade for many patients into one measured in clarity, validation and timely care.
