Christiana Hansen, a 49-year-old from Chatham, has begun advocating for improved endometriosis care following her diagnosis in 2023, which came five years after her initial symptoms emerged. Hansen manages her condition with daily medication at the highest available dose, taken two to four times daily, and describes experiencing severe stabbing pain that significantly affects her emotional wellbeing. She founded a campaign through her health awareness organization HEDUCA to establish a wellbeing hub in Medway focused on women’s and girls’ reproductive health conditions.
Endometriosis affects one in ten women and involves the growth of cells similar to those lining the womb in other areas of the body, potentially impacting organs such as the bladder and bowel. Hansen reported feeling dismissed during medical consultations, with healthcare providers characterizing her symptoms as normal or simply a women’s issue. She has called on others experiencing the condition to seek support and validation, emphasizing that the level of pain associated with endometriosis is not typical.
Jessica Lewis, a 25-year-old from Broadstairs, received her endometriosis diagnosis two years ago following surgery in 2024, despite first experiencing symptoms at age 14. According to her NHS records, Lewis visited a doctor 22 times before obtaining a diagnosis. She reports the condition significantly impacts her daily activities and future planning, and has called for increased NHS funding and improved professional training regarding endometriosis recognition and treatment.
The proposed wellbeing hub would include spaces for patients to share experiences and access fitness facilities. Both Hansen and Lewis advocate for expanded NHS funding and resources dedicated to endometriosis diagnosis and management. Local MP Tristan Osborne has expressed support for the initiative and indicated plans to work with regional councils on implementation.
NHS Kent and Medway acknowledged the challenges some women face in obtaining timely diagnoses and noted their existing women’s health hubs offer support and treatment. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson stated the government views delayed diagnoses as unacceptable and pledged commitment to reducing gynaecology waiting lists, expanding surgical hubs, and prioritizing endometriosis care through NHS Online, a new remote hospital service platform.
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