One out of ten women suffers from endometriosis a medical condition where the uterine tissue grows on other organs inside the body, usually in the lower abdomen or pelvis causing lower abdominal pain, extreme discomfort during menstrual cycles, pain during coitus and in a number of cases translating to infertility.
British artist Georgie Wileman’s photography project dubbed #ThisIsEndometriosis gave birth to a social media campaign under the same hashtag, that has motivated women to post pictures of their endometriosis scars to shed light on the realities of the malignant condition.
March being the Endometriosis Awareness Month, the campaign seeks to spread understanding and education about the condition which is often undiagnosed because doctors dismiss the symptoms, and encourage more women to share their battles with this rare condition.
In the official the campaign’s official statement on Instagram, Wileman noted that surgeries to counter the disease are not affordable and most do not factor in the insurance option mobilizing more women with the condition to come out and share the scars for the world to see.
Brave women have come out to share their experiences with the disease, which has encouraged other victims to show off their scars.
One victim shared that endometriosis resulted to her secondary infertility, but encouraged others to be strong and keep fighting.
“Aside from the surgeries, the recoveries, & the loss of organs, endo was the main contributing factor to my secondary infertility, a loss of its own. To all my #endosisters out there, RESPECT. I know how strong you are. I know your endurance is incredible. To the doctors working to advance REAL treatment for this disease, THANK YOU. I know your job is not easy,” she shared her experience.
Stories of misdiagnosis are often heard off, with doctors dismissing the symptoms with simple antibiotics.