Student's 'raw' photos show endometriosis pain

A photography student is hoping to raise awareness of a debilitating pelvic condition by taking images of herself as she suffers with the disease.

Emma Bennison, 21, is studying at Falmouth University and has struggled with endometriosis symptoms since she was 14.

Endometriosis is a gynaecological condition associated with menstruation that often causes pain in the pelvis and other parts of the body, and can also cause severe fatigue, anxiety and infertility in some cases.

Ms Bennison said the pictures were "raw" because it was "the only way to get the point across".

"If they were soft and dainty it's not going to do they job that they need to do. They need to show the reality of what it's like living with a disease, that is so common and no-one knows what it is."

She has taken photographs of herself as she deals with the aftermath of two surgeries, and during a flare-up.

They include images showing bruising after an operation and a self-portrait showing her demeanour as she dealt with the agony of the condition.

It took eight years before she got a clear diagnosis which only came after paying for a private laparoscopy - a surgical procedure using keyhole surgery, to allow a surgeon to examine and treat the organs inside the abdomen and pelvis.

She said: "Every doctor's appointment was like going into a battlefield... I was passed from pillar to post. No one had any idea about was going on... it was like someone stabbing me. It just wouldn't go away. It was horrific. It didn't matter what I said, no-one would take me seriously."

She's now had two operations to remove as much of the endometriosis as possible and manages the condition with painkillers and rest.

Recent figures from the Office of Statistics show about two in 100 women were diagnosed with endometriosis between 2011 and 2021, but because of a long delay in diagnosis the figure is thought to be much higher.

The charity, Endometriosis UK, estimates as many as one in 10 women in the UK suffer with the condition.

One of Emma's fellow students, Poppy-Fe Howe, 20, also believes she has symptoms of endometriosis but has not been able to get a diagnosis.

"It's hard to get listened to at 16 when you are saying you are in all of this pain", she said.

She believes there is a lack of education and understanding from some medics.

"Definitely male GPs - I think when a women goes to them and says 'I am in all of this pain - I am having all of these issues with my female reproductive system', they kind of go 'ahhh, I don't want to talk about this'.

"They don't want to talk about it with me, and even with my mum present they are always skirting around the issue."

The chief executive of Endometriosis UK, Emma Cox, wants clear action from the government to shorten the time it takes to get a diagnosis from the current nine years.

She said: "The first steps are setting a diagnosis target of an average of a year or less so that we are actually diagnosing people and then they can access treatment that they need to manage the disease.

"We also need in parallel with that really great training to support healthcare practitioners, so they understand and recognise the symptoms and help people with that.

"And also tackle the ridiculously long gynaecological waiting lists so the people who need surgery can access it as they would any other condition."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "Too many women are facing unacceptable waits for gynaecology treatment and we know that more needs to be done to support women with endometriosis.

"This government is overhauling women's healthcare to get women the support they need, when they need it. We are investing an extra £26 billion in the NHS and through our Plan for Change we will get it back on its feet, including by cutting waiting times from 18 months to a maximum of 18 weeks."

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