Like many sufferers of endometriosis, it took a long time for Catherine to get a diagnosis: 20+ years. She had symptoms such as very heavy bleeding, acute and long lasting pain, and extreme fatigue.

Catherine had three laparoscopic surgeries after finding that birth control pills didn’t help with the pain or other symptoms. The condition has had long term physical, mental, and emotional impact on her life. She wants to emphasise the importance of working with your healthcare team to develop a plan to manage symptoms as best you can.

“I feel that I held myself back because I didn’t have the energy to take on more and I also knew there were many times when I was not physically able to work at full capacity. There were definitely days when I could barely move from my desk.”