Nadia Maxwell is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor & Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician. She has teamed up with QENDO to navigate a complex topic, offering education and insight into the relationship dynamic between endometriosis and body image.

Content warning: this article discusses eating disorders. I encourage you to look after your wellbeing and that’s ok if that means reading no further. Eating disorder support can be found via the Butterfly Foundation National Helpline.

Finding those who champion our cause is to find our allies. The people who come into our lives and leave their mark, healing the parts of our hearts that Endometriosis has hurt. We often speak out about the physical impact this condition leaves on our body but the emotional repercussions are important to recognise too.

Mariah speaks fondly of the person who entered her life and championed her cause. With Endometriosis Awareness Month rapidly approaching, her insight and wisdom is something to be celebrated.

As a registered nurse with Endometriosis, Jordyn provides care for those who need it most. Lovingly assisting others when they need it fits her character, though throughout her own journey she has learnt to love another all too important body - her own.

Experiencing the severity of the pain that comes with this condition should not be considered ‘the norm’. Our community is lucky to have someone like Jordyn navigating the way through life, demonstrating that you can have the success of a career whilst thriving as an endo warrior.

Watching those around you fall pregnant when you are struggling is an extremely heart wrenching thing to experience. Jess bravely shares insight into her fertility journey with Stage IV Endometriosis and her journey of loss and hope.

There is a happy ending to this story - Jess is pregnant with her rainbow miracle. QENDO thanks Jess for her raw honesty regarding such important topics for our community.

Tanya’s Endometriosis journey began when she was fourteen years old, and since then she has been diagnosed with Stage Four Deep Infiltrating Endometrioses, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, adenomyosis and fibroids! Tanya has been blessed with three, beautiful boys however she raises awareness for our community and medical gaslighting. Fertility does not necessarily mean you are exempt from gynaecological problems - and should not be dismissed as such!

“I found it annoying, and it worried me that many doctors only placed value on my gynaecological concerns if it was somehow related to fertility, as though it’s okay to go through excruciating pain, missing work and life events due to my period.”

Imagine being carried out of a University lecture hall because you were rolling around on the floor in agony. For Jo, this was her reality. Knowing now that her period pain was not normal, she is thankful now that she began the journey of taking back control of her health. Her quest now is to help educate and support others living with endometriosis. Her dream - to help move others within the Endometriosis community from surviving to thriving! The QENDO community thanks Jo her for her support.

Jess Coldrey is a 2021 Victorian Government John Monash Scholar and internationally exhibited technology artist, most notably curated into exhibitions for the Australian Ian Potter Centre, Melbourne Science Gallery, and the United Nations' COP26 conference in Glasgow. From robotics and drone selfies winning her the prestigious Agendo Art Prize to her recent fashion project in Paris exploring endometriosis, her art has traversed creativity and engineering to spark new conversations about the future.

In this blog Jess shares her firsthand experience navigating endo, while also showcasing her talent as an artist. QENDO is very excited to feature Jess, grateful for the advice and wisdom she offers. She highlights the need to listen to one’s body and the importance of giving it permission to rest.

“Having been had diagnosed and now knowing the symptoms, I can look back and see some small signs of the disease in my mid twenties. These were not symptoms that impacted on my quality of life whatsoever.”

Julia bravely brings you her personal journey with endometriosis, as she shares the importance of having a diagnosis.

Kristie Harris has bravely shared her journey, and why she opted for an elective hysterectomy.

“I am now on 4 weeks post hysterectomy. I haven’t bled since day 2 post op, and I feel like a brand new woman. I cannot believe it took this long for professionals to work out what was wrong and assist me with a solution!”

Being informed there is nothing wrong is an incredibly frustrating thing to endure. Haven’t we all heard that our period pain is normal, from time to time…but it is NOT! Being diagnosed with endometriosis in the final year of schooling presented additional challenges - at an already challenging time. Chantelle bravely navigated such changes, ultimately landing her dream University course.

We receive many requests about accessing support and information when considering medicinal cannabis. As such, QENDO accepted a paid partnership from NCClinics to deliver a blog post regarding their service. QENDO agrees to this opportunity as NCClinics provide a free resource for people seeking information through a help line. Individuals can talk to a specialist nurse to understand if medicinal cannabis might be an option to add to their toolbox.

This post is sponsored by NCClinics for the purpose of providing another resource for people interested in learning more about utilising medicinal cannabis to assist in their pain management. For further information about the use of medicinal cannabis, contact NCClinics nurse phone line on: 1800 978 622.

“I’m so grateful to have discovered QENDO. I have met some amazing people and forever friends. I have learnt a lot about my condition, and it’s great to have a community of people who understand what you are going through. I have recently become a QENDO volunteer and I look forward to this new chapter, hoping to not only help raise awareness, but also to help other people who are suffering.” - Katie, one of QENDO’s amazing volunteers.

Breaking through the stigma of what endometriosis looks like within the workforce, despite whatever that workforce may be! After all, endometriosis does not discriminate…

This article touches base on sensitive topics such as pregnancy and loss.

“It has been a very challenging life journey to live with endometriosis. I think you learn a lot about yourself with endometriosis, and this experience leads you to self-love and awareness. These are two traits which you can benefit from in later life, whilst you are becoming uniquely divine through the process”.

Being advised to “immediately fall pregnant”, as a solution to endometriosis is something too many of us have heard. Silvie bravely shares her account of living with this disease, and shares her hope for our future as a community of strong individuals.

Through these tough times I’ve come to know that when our health is asking us to listen, we must. We spend our whole lives inside our mind and body. We must take care of them. If we don’t, eventually they will force us.

Doctors must listen.

Family must listen.

Close friends must listen.

The world must listen.

Here’s to all the QENDO Dads

The Step Dads

The Foster Dads

The Solo Dads

The Dads to Be

The Mums that are also Dads

The should be Dads

And those without Dads

This Father’s Day #team QENDO want to thank all Dads including our own!

I'm currently 28 years old, I was so young when I got my first period and I knew something wasn't right, from the very beginning...

My parents had never spoken to me about periods.

I had no idea what they were, who got them, what to expect, how to deal with them. Nothing.

I remember being so scared, wondering why I was bleeding.

All mum said to me was: "it's normal" and gave me some little liners.

I was so young, so she assumed that "liners" were all I needed.

My journey started from aged 11 (grade 5!) when I was blessed with my period. From such a young age we are taught that the day we start our period, is a day to be celebrated because we are finally a woman. We now know that this is not the case for majority of women who have endometriosis. From the first day of my very first period, I experienced unimaginable pain (this is just normal though right, period cramps) heavy bleeding and the feeling of shame – for being ungrateful and wishing the gift of being able to reproduce, be taken away.

Megan Dunkley started experiencing painful periods from age 12, and was using the pill at age 14 to cope with her intense pain, nausea and heavy bleeding. Nine years later, after finally receiving an endometriosis diagnosis, Megan is committed to raising awareness and empowering others to learn more about the disease. She is proud to stand up for others with endometriosis and pelvic pain, and share her story to raise awareness.

Danielle Halcrow, an endo warrior from New Zealand, started experiencing the symptoms of endometriosis at 16, but wasn’t diagnosed until the age of 20, experiencing a lot of doubt and dismissal during this time. When she was finally diagnosed, she was able to have surgery and receive treatment to help with her debilitating symptoms. In this blog Danielle shares her endometriosis story, the validation of a diagnosis - even when it means knowing that you have a currently incurable illness, and the benefits of engaging a mental health professional as part of your toolkit.