Anna C’s Story

My journey with chronic pain began over 15 years ago, it went undiagnosed for 4 years. Not knowing the route cause to your pain can and is torturous.

I was 14 when my symptoms started to become chronic, which by then I was being labelled as a ‘young girl having growing pains’.

It wasn’t until I had an emergency appendectomy that I was told they could see endometriosis everywhere and I needed to see a specialist. Ironically, I had seen a gynaecologist prior to this surgery who told me I was ‘fine’ and that the ’pain was all in my head’. I thank that general surgeon who did my appendix every single day as if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have the answer to my pain.

I went on to see an endometriosis specialist (that I had to see privately) who officially diagnosed me with stage 4 endometriosis where I had to have a bowel and bladder resection due to the extent of the disease.

Fast forward 13 years and I have had 17 surgeries (soon to be 18), live with two stomas bags as a result to losing my large bowel and bladder.

I’m in full blown menopause due to having a full hysterectomy including ovaries removed at the tender age of 28 and I’m still navigating this journey.

Navigating my own journey I quickly realised how many other people were experiencing medical gaslighting and delays to diagnosis especially when it came to endometriosis. Through the volunteering I did with FTWW and the advocating I did online gave me a real hunger in order to help improve the future for those suffering with conditions like endometriosis.

That’s when my best friend Gabz and I had the idea to cofound Menstrual Health Project, which is a UK wide charity registered in Wales in which we create medically backed educational toolkits that are freely accessible to help those navigating conditions like endometriosis. Our main focus as a charity is education and we have delivered educational sessions to 100s of schools across Wales and England to help empower young minds to take control of their menstrual wellbeing. Our focus and aim is to improve menstrual health education in all schools, especially here in Wales. Educating early is absolutely key to improving the future for those who experience periods. Our motto as a charity is – collaboration over competition, and we stand by working closely with other organisations such as FTWW in order to reach our end goal of a better healthcare and educational system for women and those registered female at birth.