MARCH marks Endometriosis Awareness Month, a time to shed light on a debilitating condition that affects 1 in 10 women in Australia. Although widespread, the journey to diagnosis and proper treatment remains a long and often painful one. Women living with endometriosis often face 10-15 years of medical misdiagnosis, societal stigma, and the emotional toll of being dismissed by those who should offer support.
Hailey Price, a 30-year-old local woman, knows this struggle all too well. She has lived with both endometriosis and adenomyosis for 16 years, conditions that have rendered daily life nearly impossible. After consulting with eight doctors in search of answers, one doctor who had the necessary expertise to identify the disease took her seriously and successfully diagnosed it. Hailey is now scheduled this month for laparoscopic surgery to manage her endometriosis and a full hysterectomy to treat her adenomyosis — the only known cure for this often misunderstood disease.
The delay in receiving a diagnosis is largely due to the lack of awareness and understanding of the disease among both the public and medical professionals. It’s this very lack of awareness that makes comments like those recently made by comedian and radio host Marty Sheargold all the more damaging. In a segment, Sheargold dismissed endometriosis as “made up” and trivialised the suffering of women who endure it with remarks such as “God, don’t ladies carry on.”
For many, such comments are not just hurtful — they set back the critical progress needed to address these conditions. “It’s frustrating because it feels like we’re still fighting to be taken seriously,” Hailey explains. “When public figures minimise what we go through, it makes it harder for women to get the proper recognition, which can in turn lead to infertility and the inability to have children.”
In fact, up to 50 percent of women with endometriosis experience infertility, adding another layer of heartbreak for those who struggle to start a family. This disease can affect many areas of the body: ovaries, bladder, bowel, and in rare cases, even the lungs, spine, heart, and brain.
“The more we talk about it, the more we can change the narrative,” she said. “Women need to know that they’re not alone. It’s not ‘just’ period pain — it’s a debilitating, lifelong struggle.”
As Endometriosis Awareness Month continues, the hope is that stories like Hailey’s will spark the necessary conversations to ensure those suffering are not left to struggle in silence. If you or someone you know is struggling with these conditions, it is crucial to be persistent in advocating for yourself. For more information, head to www.endometriosisaustralia.org.