Raising awareness of Endometriosis

Tuesday 03 September 2019

A group of Guernsey women are taking part in a global project to raise awareness of endometriosis by contributing some locally-taken images to a charity calendar.

The idea for the calendar began in Canada and has spread across the world via a Facebook page set up to support those with the condition.

Phoebe Lewis learnt about the project on the page and arranged a Guernsey photoshoot to add to the calendar.

"Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the womb lining grows elsewhere in the body," she explained. "Sometimes places like the ovaries and Fallopian tubes, which can cause issues with fertility, but also in other parts of the body too. The usual symptoms are pelvic pain, pain during sex and difficulties getting pregnant."

The condition can affect women of all ages and, although treatment can ease the symptoms, there is currently no cure.

While raising money for chosen endometriosis charities, the calendar project hopes to improve understanding of the disease, particularly in schools.

"At the moment it is quite hard to diagnose," Miss Lewis continued. "The symptoms are often just put down to period pain, which is frustrating for a lot of women who know it isn't normal. An operation called a laparoscopy is usually used to diagnose it.

"I think it is important for young people to learn about it at school as it can really affect your day-to-day life and things like school attendance. It usually takes a number of years to be diagnosed, in my opinion due to lack of awareness. I first started getting symptoms when I was 12 and was only diagnosed when I was 20."

Miss Lewis arranged the Guernsey shoot with women from the 'Endometriosis & me (Guernsey)' Facebook page, a page used by people in the island living with the condition.

Sunflowers are often used as a 'symbol' for endometriosis and a bunch were donated by Tussie Mussie flowers to be used in the project, while photographer Estelle Moselely gave up her time to take the photos.

The calendar is currently being put together, with more shoots in America and England being organised.

Pictured top: an image for the calendar taken by Estelle Moseley.