A young Co Down woman, who underwent a hysterectomy after being left in excruciating pain for years due to endometriosis, is sharing her experience to help other women facing the same battle.
While still suffering with the effects of the condition and experiencing perimenopause, Samantha Campbell feels strongly about educating and supporting others on a similar path.
Endometriosis is a long-term condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes, affecting one in 10 women worldwide.
Read more: NI woman's fight to help others suffering in silence with endometriosis agony
The symptoms of endometriosis can vary. Some women are badly affected, while others might not have any noticeable symptoms.
The main symptoms are pelvic pain, period pain that stops you doing normal activities, pain during or after sex, feeling sick, constipation, diarrhoea, or blood in your pee during your period, and difficulty getting pregnant.
Despite the seriousness of the disease, it takes an average of eight years just to get a diagnosis.
Samantha, 32, from Kilkeel was diagnosed with the condition when she was only 24 after suffering in pain for a number of years. She had two surgeries to treat the condition before she underwent a hysterectomy in June 2021 at the age of 30 when she had stage 4 endometriosis.
Samantha was plagued with the physical symptoms of heavy periods, fainting and dizzy spells that also started to impact her mental health. After becoming desperate "for it all to stop", she chose to have the radical surgery.
Two years ago, she created an Instagram account to share her journey of living with endometriosis from diagnosis and treatment through to her surgery and her life afterwards. She is now campaigning to end the lack of understanding and stigma around the issue.
Samantha was one of 12 brave women who recently penned their journeys with endometriosis in a newly published book, Hear us Roar, in a bid to help raise awareness and support other women.
She told Belfast Live: "Since being diagnosed in 2015 and after years of struggling with endometriosis and menopause, alongside needing ongoing mental health support to manage depression with chronic pain, I feel strongly about educating and supporting others on a similar path.
"Through the years, I have done many stories and used social media to help other women in the same situation but I still want to do more, especially for women one-to-one in local areas to help them feel less isolated or alone in their battles.
"This is why I decided to start hosting free events around Northern Ireland, the first one will be at the Nautilus Centre in my hometown of Kilkeel later this month. Back in March, I approached a local project, Mourne Matters, and thanks to them, I will be holding my first event on 14th June and hopefully this will reach women who are struggling.
"The evening will have a relaxed feel with light refreshments and I will be sharing my journeys with endometriosis, menopause and mental health. I will highlight how I have been through two chemical menopauses and a surgical one, explain about the different types and give some advice on what to do if your think you're in menopause or have endometriosis and how to spot the symptoms too.
"Also on the evening we will also hear from local mental health professional Mary Brannigan from Castlewellan."
Samantha added: "We need to break the stigma around menopause and endometriosis so we can help other women going through the same journey. I still find myself hearing that women are not sure what endometriosis is or how to ask for help with symptoms of menopause..
"It's time for change and earlier this year I set out a plan to start doing events in Northern Ireland to help women find their voices and seek support for menopause and endometriosis."
The Let's Talk Endometriosis & Menopause event will take place at the Nautilus Centre (opposite Kilkeel Harbour) at 7pm.
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