“I battled for a long time wondering if I should share this journey with you in such a public space,” Wildlife Warrior Bindi Irwin begins. As true to this moniker as any will ever be, Irwin has made that leap.
Posting to her personal Instagram, the Australia Zoo conservationist reveals her decade-long struggle with “insurmountable fatigue, pain & nausea.” Throughout her journey, multiple doctors have told Irwin that her suffering was “simply something you deal with as a woman.”
Ultimately, she decided to undergo surgery for endometriosis at Seckin Endometriosis Center, where her ten-year-battle against crippling symptoms would finally receive not only proper concern, but treatment and validation.
During her procedure, surgeons found “37 lesions, some very deep & difficult to remove, & a chocolate cyst,” Irwin cites in her statement, which you can read in full below.
Bindi Irwin’s Statement on Endometriosis Diagnosis, Surgery
Dear Friends,
I battled for a long time wondering if I should share this journey with you in such a public space. It came down to the responsibility I feel to share my story for other women who need help. For 10yrs I’ve struggled with insurmountable fatigue, pain & nausea. Trying to remain a positive person & hide the pain has been a very long road. These last 10yrs have included many tests, doctors visits, scans, etc.
A doctor told me it was simply something you deal with as a woman & I gave up entirely, trying to function through the pain. I didn’t find answers until a friend [Leslie Mosier] helped set me on a path of regaining my life. I decided to undergo surgery for endometriosis. Going in for surgery was scary but I knew I couldn’t live like I was. Every part of my life was getting torn apart because of the pain. To cut a long story short, they found 37 lesions, some very deep & difficult to remove, & a chocolate cyst.
“[Seckin Endometriosis Center]’s first words to me when I was in recovery were, ‘How did you live with this much pain?’ Validation for years of pain is indescribable. My family & friends who have been on this journey with me for 10+ yrs – THANK YOU, for encouraging me to find answers when I thought I’d never climb out. Thank you to the doctors & nurses who believed my pain. I’m on the road to recovery & the gratitude I feel is overwhelming.
To those questioning the cancelled plans, unanswered messages & absence – I had been pouring every ounce of the energy I had left into our daughter & family.
Things may look fine on the outside looking in through the window of someone’s life, however, that is not always the case. Please be gentle & pause before asking me (or any woman) when we’ll be having more children. After all that my body has gone through, I feel tremendously grateful that we have our gorgeous daughter. She feels like our family’s miracle.
I’m aware of millions of women struggling with a similar story. There’s stigma around this awful disease. I’m sharing my story for anyone who reads this & is quietly dealing with pain & no answers. Let this be your validation that your pain is real & you deserve help. Keep searching for answers
Bindi Irwin, Instagram
What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis occurs when cells similar to those that line the uterus, or endometrium, grow outside the uterus. This can affect pelvic tissue, ovaries, and fallopian tubes, alongside other organs such as the bowel and bladder.
Per John Hopkins Medical:
- Endometriosis affects around 2 to 10% of American women between the ages of 25 and 40
- Women with endometriosis are more likely to have infertility or pregnancy difficulties
- Symptoms of endometriosis: excessive menstrual cramps, abnormal or heavy menstrual flow and pain during intercourse
As Bindi Irwin explains, the most common signs of endometriosis are intense pain and fatigue.
Like all of us who appreciate and follow the Irwin family, Outsider sends our best to Bindi and her loved ones during recovery, and laud her transparency and bravery in hopes of helping other women receive proper diagnosis and treatment.
