People with endometriosis deserve better. It currently takes a shocking 8 years on average to get diagnosed with endometriosis – a statistic that hasn’t changed in a decade. Action is needed by the Government now to reduce diagnosis times so that everyone with endometriosis has access to the right support at the right time.
We are campaigning for UK Governments to make a commitment to reduce diagnosis time with a target of an average of 4 years or less by 2025, and a year or less by 2030.
Write to your MP today to call on the Government to make a commitment to reduce diagnosis time. Simply click this link and fill out your details. You'll then be provided with a template email that will be sent directly to your MP.
Why this matters
A recent report by the APPG on Endometriosis found that prior to getting a diagnosis:
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58% visited their GP more than 10 times;
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43% visited doctors in hospital over 5 times;
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And 53% had to visit A&E.
Not only can endometriosis worsen if it goes untreated, but it can also have a huge impact on people's education, career, relationships and mental health.
Atima's story
"It’s taken me 30 years to get a diagnosis and I know I’m not alone in being told it’s normal or just a ‘bad period’. I want to help to bring change and raise awareness. This disease takes so much from us. As someone with multiple chronic illnesses I can say endometriosis is the one that has impacted me in every way, my relationships, my friendships, my mental health and my career aspirations.
As a child I thought all women suffered with horrible pain during their periods and that I must just be weak..that is not the case. I still remember my gynaecologist waiting for me in recovery to tell me I was not mad and that they had found endometriosis during my excision surgery in Dec 2019.
I have only felt comfortable sharing my experiences more recently due to the stigma attached to anything period related. I still remember being told that periods are dirty and we don’t discuss them!! Well here I am discussing sharing and shouting loud. More must be done and with twin daughters nearing menstrual age I will be right there campaigning for more to be done. No one should have to wait this long for diagnosis or treatment.”
What Atima has been through isn’t good enough. This shouldn’t be the norm. We need change. Write to your MP today.
