Thank you for visiting my #goyellowforendo JustGiving page!

March is #endometriosisawareness month and the official awareness colour is yellow, so this year I will be going yellow for the entire month!! I want to raise awareness and funds for research into this devastating and misunderstood condition. I have chosen to fundraise for the World Endometriosis Research Foundation, as I would like to see a world where the diagnosis, treatment and long-term outcomes for women this disease are drastically improved.

The World Endometriosis Research Foundation’s activity is solely centred on research. I am very excited that the funds I raise during March will contribute to the continuation of a large scale, global research project lead by Oxford and Harvard Universities. This project has been ground-breaking in terms of how clinical data and bio-specimens are collected and holds great promise for the future.

Support for endometriosis sufferers is a subject close to my heart. Close friends will be aware that I struggled with endometriosis for many years and it had a hugely detrimental effect on my life. To raise awareness of endometriosis and break down the stigma that surrounds it, I have started writing about my personal experiences in my blog.

Last year I underwent radical excision surgery. Luckily, as a result I currently feel very well and like the lights have been switched back on in my life! I hope this remains so for as long as possible. However, I am acutely aware that such surgery is sadly not widely available and the majority of endometriosis sufferers receive inadequate care, hence the pressing need for further research and developments.

The main symptoms of endometriosis include:

• extremely painful periods
• heavy, irregular or long periods lasting over 7 days
• bleeding between periods/after sex
• abdominal, pelvic, back, leg and other pains
• pain with/after sex
• gastrointestinal symptoms mimicking IBS
• bloating
• frequent urinary infections/cystitis
• subfertility (including miscarriage etc.)
• infertility
• pain or passing blood when going to the toilet (both when passing
  urine or opening bowels)
• persistent exhaustion/fatigue
• feeling depressed/isolated
• headaches/migraines
• coughing blood/lung collapse (rare cases in lung)
• nausea/vomiting
• WERF info here: http://endometriosis.org/resources/articles/facts-about-endometriosis/http://www.endofound.org.endometriosis

Whilst fairly comprehensive, the above is not an exhaustive list of the symptoms endometriosis can cause and they can vary widely from woman to woman. Some may be completely asymptomatic, some may be hugely debilitated. Nor does this list convey the huge  impact such symptoms have on women’s lives. Endometriosis puts great strain on a woman's ability to maintain education, work, relationships and future plans, including building a family. This can be extremely painful emotionally, in addition to the tremendous physical discomfort often caused.

Please sponsor me for my #goyellowforendo so that we can work towards better preserving the futures women with endometriosis deserve!

You can follow my #yellow adventures on Instagram: jane_devine or Twitter: devine_jane

For more information on endometriosis:

• http://endometriosis.org/resources/articles/facts-about-endometriosis/http://www.endofound.org.endometriosis
• http://www.endofound.org/endometriosis
• http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Endometriosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx
• http://www.endometriosis-uk.org/understanding-endometriosis
• http://aremyperiodsnormal.net/