Endometriosis affects around 1 in 10 women during their reproductive years. It's an invisible disease that is so complex and varied, yet with 'normalised' symptoms - making it difficult to diagnose. In fact, it takes on average 8 years to diagnose from the onset of symptoms... 8 years! That's 8 years of pain, discomfort and stress, and so much more - far too long for the right treatment and pain management to be issued. It can also result in infertility. 

After experiencing symptoms throughout 2019, I had an initial diagnosis in January 2020. Before this, I'd never heard of endometriosis - and because I'd never heard of it, I didn't really know what to do next. It wasn't until I woke up the morning after my 30th birthday later in the year, with pain like I'd never known, that I really worked to try and get treatment. It took a lot of reading and research, but I was one of the lucky few to have a GP that understood the disease and refer me for the right treatment - which, for me, resulted in surgical excision in November 2020.

Now, I'm building up my fitness again and planning to run a fair few miles to raise funds for Endometriosis UK - helping women to take back control by providing vital support services, reliable information and a community for those affected by the disease.