At 12, my periods began with unbearable pain. I was bent over in agony, vomiting, and missing school. When I asked for help, I was told it was “just part of growing up.”
It took over a decade — after infertility, misdiagnosed mental health struggles, and complete emotional burnout — to finally receive diagnoses for Endometriosis, PMDD, and ADHD.

What if someone had listened sooner?

Sadly, I’m not the exception. I’m the rule.

In the UK, it takes an average of 7.5 years to diagnose endometriosis.
Menstrual health conditions like PMDD, PCOS, and chronic pelvic pain are often dismissed until they cause irreversible harm — physically, emotionally, and economically.

These delays lead to:

• Infertility and long-term organ damage

• Debilitating mental health struggles

• Missed school, work, and life opportunities

• Avoidable emergency interventions

Menstrual pain is not a rite of passage.
It’s a public health issue — and we are failing women and girls.

• 1 in 10 women in the UK live with endometriosis (NHS, 2023)

• 1 in 20 suffer from PMDD, with over 70% experiencing suicidal thoughts (IAPMD, 2022)

• Over 50% of endometriosis patients saw a GP 10+ times before diagnosis (APPG, 2020)

• NHS gynaecology waitlists have grown by over 60% since the pandemic

• The cost of delayed menstrual care runs into billions annually (RCOG, 2019)

We’re calling for urgent action in three key areas:

1. Routine Menstrual Health Checkups Within 6 Months of First Period

• Delivered through schools, GPs, or clinics

• Symptom tracking, family history review, and pain assessment

• Led by professionals trained in menstrual and hormonal health

2. Immediate GP Referrals to Reproductive Health Specialists

• No delay when young people report painful, irregular, or emotionally disruptive cycles

• Consistent enforcement of NICE guidelines

3. Free Access to Private Specialists When NHS Waitlists Are Unsafe

• Fully government-funded referrals to private care when NHS delays put patients at risk

This isn’t just about periods.
It’s about dignity, justice, and the right to live pain-free.

It’s about:

• Protecting education, careers, and family dreams

• Closing the gender health gap

• Building a system that hears, believes, and cares for women and girls

Imagine a world where:

• Girls trust their bodies from the very first period

• Period pain is taken seriously, not normalized

• Misdiagnoses are replaced with early care and prevention

The Societal Impact:

• Higher school attendance and workforce participation

• Reduced NHS burden

• Stronger mental health outcomes

• A healthier, more equitable society

When women and girls are healthy, everyone benefits.