What inspired you to set up a new support group in Dorset?
I was diagnosed with endometriosis in May 2024. I’d found the Endometriosis UK website so useful and I’d done a lot of reading, but I really felt that I needed to actually talk to someone with the condition. I wanted to hear from someone who understood what I was a going through, understand their experience and to feel a bit less alone. At the time, there wasn’t a Dorset support group so I got in touch about setting one up. I thought I can’t be the only one in this position and thought that a new group would be helpful to me and it would hopefully be useful to others too.
Can you tell us why you wanted to become an Endometriosis UK volunteer?
My diagnosis came as part of a fairly brutal fertility journey. I saw there was a gap for a Dorset support group and thought that this would be a great opportunity for something positive and meaningful to come out of a pretty tough time. The work that Endometriosis UK does in terms of providing information, raising awareness and offering support is so important that I wanted to be able to give something back while also helping myself and others learn to live with the condition.
What impact has endometriosis had on your life?
The biggest impact for me personally has been on my fertility. I do wonder how things would have worked out if I’d been diagnosed earlier. There have been many missed opportunities. For this reason, I’m on a bit of a mission to raise awareness so that others might not find themselves in the same situation.
The pain and fatigue that comes with the condition has also had significant impact, it can make even small tasks feel like climbing a mountain and not being able to be as social or as active as I would like can be really challenging too.
What advice would you give to someone who may be attending an Endometriosis UK support group for the first time?
Talking about things can be a great way of processing emotions and experiences and can help us come to terms with our own situations. Also sharing experiences helps us to learn from and support each other. I think my advice would don’t worry about attending the meetings, share as much or as little as you’d like and just being around people who understand will help you feel less alone.
