By Sinead McGrath8 March 2021 At the age of 12 I knew my life was different to that of my friend. There were the days off school and countless hospital appointments. During my first surgery, at 13, it became clear I was suffering with ovarian cysts and endometriosis, something I continue to struggle with to this day and will likely suffer for the rest of my life. Now aged 28 and a full-time paralegal, I have continued to experience difficulties in my life and career due to endometriosis. Sinead McGrath What is endometriosis? Endometriosis is a chronic pain disease that 1 in 10 women in the UK suffer with and, at present, diagnosis takes on average seven years. Symptoms can include painful and heavy periods, fatigue, bowel problems and debilitating pain. Endometriosis can also lead to fertility issues and infertility. It can even be the case that women are unaware of their diagnosis until they are trying to get pregnant. Understanding the symptoms helps us to see why endometriosis can have such significant impacts.