Daneka Etchells experienced severe menstrual symptoms beginning at age 12, including extremely heavy periods and excruciating pain. Despite multiple visits to her general practitioner and being prescribed hormonal contraception, her condition remained undiagnosed and untreated for an extended period. She describes this experience as medical gaslighting, a term referring to healthcare professionals dismissing or invalidating patients’ health concerns.
Etchells was eventually found to have endometriosis, a condition affecting one in 10 women. By the time of her diagnosis, the condition had progressed significantly, growing across nerves and ligaments in her legs and causing permanent nerve damage. The average time to diagnosis for endometriosis is nine years, but Etchells’ diagnosis took 17 years, attributed partly to her neurodivergence. Her breakthrough came when she was seen by a female general practitioner who prescribed medication and referred her to a gynaecologist.
The delayed diagnosis had severe consequences for Etchells’ quality of life and career. While performing at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, she realized her condition had made continuing work impossible due to pain, fatigue, and mobility issues. She subsequently took six months away from performing. Unable to access timely NHS treatment, she raised funds through personal savings, borrowing, and GoFundMe for private excision surgery to remove endometrial lesions. Although the surgery provided some relief, she lives with permanent mobility limitations and constant pain, requiring a mobility aid.
Etchells’ experience parallels those of playwright Tom Wentworth, who adapted The Secret Garden for a new disabled-led stage production. Wentworth, who identifies as queer and disabled, has also faced medical dismissal, with doctors attributing his symptoms to his cerebral palsy rather than conducting proper diagnosis. Both advocate for better patient advocacy and recognition of medical gaslighting. Healthwatch England notes that young people, women, and those identifying as LGBTQ report feeling less listened to by healthcare professionals. The organization has called for NHS complaints system reforms, while the Department of Health and Social Care stated its Women’s Health Strategy recognizes medical gaslighting as a barrier in conditions like endometriosis.
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