ABOUT THE FUNDRAISER
Help spread the word and #EndoTheStigma
Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 people assigned female at birth around the world. Such a common condition, and yet it takes on average 7.5 years to diagnose.
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A year ago I was too diagnosed with the Endometriosis and after taking some time to heal, I knew I wanted to raise more awareness.
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And what better time to do it than March, the official Endometriosis Awareness Month!
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If Covid wasn't a thing, I'd probably organise a bake sale of some sort but right now that would be tricky. So the next best thing that I can offer is some of my artwork.
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So for the month of March 2021, all the proceeds from my print sales were donated to Endometriosis UK, a charity which works to improve the lives of people affected by endometriosis.
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This year's fundraiser is now closed but you can still make a donation directly to the charity :)
what is endometriosis
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the ones in the lining of the uterus are found outside the uterus, elsewhere in the body.
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This tissue causes pain, infertility, and organ dysfunction due to inflammation, invasion into structures in the body, and scar tissue.
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It's a chronic illness and while some of those affected have no symptoms, other can feel a significant impact on their health.
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Some of the symptoms include:
painful periods
painful bowel movements
fatigue / lack of energy
stomach problems (nausea, constipation, diarrhea)
infertility
painful sex
pelvic pain
lower back pain
MY STORY
Warning - Graphic Content
My story is not unique, but at the same time it seems too familiar.
I was a bit of a late bloomer and got my first period later than most girls in my class. For the first few years, I considered myself lucky as I was never really in any pain, apart from the occasional cramp which promptly went away.
I would look at other girls in my school who would complain of horrible cramps, miss PE and constantly be asking for pain medication and think: “wow, how could their pain possibly be that bad?”
But over time, I noticed that I was more and more in pain with each cycle. At first it was just what I considered to be regular cramps. But soon, they got more and more intense and each cramp felt like I was being punched, kicked, cut and stabbed at the same time. I started to feel nausea, pain in my lower back, all over my thighs, I had upset stomach and fatigue. I knew that what was happening probably wasn't normal, but whenever I’d ask my doctor about it my concerns were brushed off with the usual:
"You're just unlucky..."
