The Cardiff woman painting her city to raise awareness of endometriosis
A woman from Cardiff is painting the walls of her city to raise awareness of endometriosis.
It took Jaimee Rae McCormack 13 years to get a diagnosis for her condition which she said has "blighted her life". She said she resorted to painting the side of a house to raise attention of the issue.
Now she is expanding her project "Endowalls: The Rising Awareness" to try and help other women with the condition.
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a medical condition where tissue, like that of the lining in the womb, starts to grow elsewhere in the body.
NHS guidelines suggest the condition can affect women of any age but is most common in women in their 30s and 40s.
Charity Endometriosis UK estimates one in ten women "endure unrelenting pain" everyday as a result of the condition.
The group Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales says that means around 150,000 women and girls in Wales have endometriosis.
As one of those women, Jaimee Rae took her struggle to the streets of Cardiff and began the Endowalls project.
The 29-year-old creates colourful murals to spread awareness about endometriosis and show other women with the condition that they have support.
Jaimee Rae thinks if the condition affected as many men as it does women, "a lot more would have been done a long time ago" in terms of medical support.
Read more: Endometriosis awareness march takes place in Cardiff
She wants better awareness and understanding among medical professionals when it comes to research, diagnosis, and treatment of endometriosis.
NHS guidelines on endometriosis say the cause of the condition is not known, though several theories have been suggested including:
Genetics
Problems with the immune system
Retrograde menstruation
and endometrium cells spreading through the body in the bloodstream
Find out more: Help and advice for dealing with endometriosis
Following an NHS review into endometriosis services in Wales, a report found "a lack of understanding" among some health professionals and described how "current provision fails to meet the level of need".
Commenting on the report published last year, Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said: "This is the start of a process that will improve the lives of women in Wales affected by endometriosis".
After a recent overhaul of the educational curriculum taught in Wales, Endometriosis UK has called on the Welsh Assembly to introduce menstrual wellbeing as part of the “Health and Wellbeing” curriculum.
The UK Government recently announced that menstrual wellbeing will be taught in schools in England from 2020.
Issues around menstrual wellbeing in Wales have been prominent in recent months, with promises from the Welsh Government to end period poverty.
Regarding the issue of teaching menstrual wellbeing in schools, the Welsh Government said it "welcomes feedback" on the draft curriculum.
Later this month, twelve surgeons will cycle from London to Cardiff stopping off at endometriosis centres on the way, to fundraise Endometriosis UK.
Simon Phillips, a surgeon at University Hospital of Wales, is taking part in the 220 mile cycle. He says he's seen "first hand the devastating impact endometriosis can have on a woman’s life".
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