Sew Yellow For Endo is back for its fourth year! The sewing community have come together and made an astonishing effort to support all endo-warriors by raising over £4000 in the last three years. Together we keep raising awareness of Endometriosis, learning from each other, and sewing some incredible yellow garments. This year we are back and bigger than ever!

How To Get Involved

The sew yellow challenge will return where we invite you to sew something yellow (or partially yellow, orange, yellow accented), share it on instagram with the #SewYellowForEndo24, and donate £1 to Endometriosis UK. You will be in with the chance of winning a prize from one of our fabulous sponsors!

This year's Instagram Live programme is really exciting, we will hear from endometriosis warriors about their experiences but we will also be talking about chemical and surgical menopause and fertility.

March is Endometriosis Action Month and as usual along side the sew yellow challenge I will be putting on a series of events to raise awareness of Endometriosis including, for the first time EVER, a LIVE event in London to raise awareness and wear our beautiful yellow makes!

On Saturday 23rd March 2024 we are heading to Sew Me Sunshine between 16:00 - 19:00. Tickets available: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-sew-yellow-for-endo-2024-party-tickets-817504998457?aff=oddtdtcreator

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a cruel condition that affects one in ten women, making it the second most common gynaecological condition in the UK. It causes agonising periods, pain with sex, problems with bowel and bladder function, and can contribute to infertility. The diagnosis time for Endometriosis has now gone up to an average 8 years ON AVERAGE. So many women wait much longer because they aren't believed, because their care isn't prioritised, and because of myths around menstrual and pelvic health.

No one knows what causes Endometriosis and there is no known cure at this stage. However the earlier you catch it the more effective treatments can be in long term management. The first step is knowing something is wrong which is why it is vital to discuss menstrual health openly and without shame. Next we need better training for GPs to understand our condition and to know when to refer us to specialists. It shouldn't be a lottery whether you get a hospital referral however 33% of women have been told their symptoms are psychosomatic before subsequently being diagnosed with Endometriosis.

Endometriosis UK is a fantastic charity that supports and advocates for women with Endometriosis; encouraging research, running support groups and championing us at the highest level of government. After a very tough few years for small charities, I want to support their vital work! So if you want to support Endometriosis UK and the 1 in 10 women suffering from Endo right now then please support my appeal in any way you can.

My Story (if you are interested!)

I’d always had extremely painful periods, I remember one occasion at boarding school when I was 16 being taken to the medical centre and told that if that pain didn’t go away by the morning I would be having my appendix out!

Over the years my periods became more painful and more irregular, sometimes I would be completely unable to move. At university my periods disappeared for no discernible reason and yet I was still in agony every month, I was then screened for PCOS but nothing was there and I was given strong painkillers and told to get on with it. This is all too common an experience for Endometriosis sufferers.

Even then I was lucky as my Endometriosis was discovered when I had my appendix out at the age of 21. Although that wasn’t a fun experience it did furnish me with incontrovertible proof that the Endo was there and that there was a definite cause of my pain - something many sufferers have to fight tooth and nail to get.

I was referred to hospital gynaecology and Endometriosis experts as we tried a range of hormonal treatments. However, my periods got worse and worse and my body reacted violently to every hormonal intervention. I started to be in pain three weeks out of four in a month and was often rendered completely immobile by the pain.

Finally, 18 months on from my first referral I had endometriosis excision surgery that was extremely successful. Endometriosis was removed from my bowel, my bladder, my left ovary, my uterosacral ligament and uterovesical fold. Believe it or not, that is a mild surgery for Endometriosis.

My surgery was back in 2019 and I'm lucky that no significant regrowth has occurred. I am still undergoing regular pelvic physiotherapy as a result and it's still a condition I will need to think about for the rest of my life.

Want to get involved? Head over to my instagram @SoWhatIfISew to get involved with this year's campaign and even enter the challenge using the hashtag #SewYellowForEndo24.

Key Dates For 2024:

Every Wednesday head over to my instagram account to hear from an endometriosis warrior

23rd March - Challenge Reveal Date & Live Event in London

28th March - Prize Draw

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