This January, I'm taking part in the Winter Walk for Endo to ensure that everyone with endometriosis gets on the right pathway to care.

Endometriosis is a chronic pain condition that affects 1 in 10 women and those assigned female at birth. Those suffering with condition are often faced with making challenging and difficult decisions during diagnosis, treatment and management of endometriosis.

Endometriosis UK exists to offer support and reliable information as well as fight and campaign for change and better treatment options.

This is something very personal to myself. I have experienced symptoms of endometriosis from quite young and thought that this was just something normal. It wasn’t until I had become aware of the condition on social media that I started to notice the signs. I had many GP appointments going back and forth arguing about something I knew wasn’t right but had been told there was nothing wrong. After finally getting an ultrasound that showed I had a cyst on my ovary, we finally knew what I had been feeling was real. I was someone lucky enough to be able to go through private healthcare and had a diagnostic and removal procedure, a laparoscopy, at the end of November 2024. This was where I was finally told that I did in fact have endometriosis after about a year and a half. I have Stage 2 endometriosis, which was found all around my uterus, both ovaries, my pelvis and other areas.

Some people are not as fortunate as I am and cannot access private healthcare, meaning they have to wait years for any progress to be made, which can be detrimental to their health. It’s a very common condition, yet has not much support in regard to diagnosis and treatment. Many people are brushed off because endometriosis can be so hidden, and they are not believed that their symptoms are “bad enough”.

I am taking part in this fundraiser to raise awareness of endometriosis, and to help fight for change to better the care of people like myself with endometriosis.

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