A Resilient Life

In 2023 we asked 22 South, Southeast and East Asian women living in British Columbia, Canada to share their stories of having endometriosis during the Covid-19 pandemic through photography. Despite the challenges faced by people with endometriosis many described a strong sense of resiliency noting that there was hope for the future.

Content Sensitive – some photos and captions depict images of fertility.

Dark and light clouds against a dark blue sky representing waiting for hope while going through endometriosis.

Looking up

Looking for a ray of sunshine one day

Resources

A screenshot of a self-help book. A page I took a picture of to remind myself that falling behind and feeling overwhelmed due to health issues not visible to others.

A page of a self-help book page read to help with coping with endometriosis.
Someone holding a phone with a picture of a pink flower with a bee on it to get through a bad day due to endometriosis.

Grounding

Spending time in nature has been a source of resilience and groundedness throughout this journey. However, at times the only way I have been able to enjoy this is through the photos I have captured on the days when I felt good. These photos are a reminder to maintain hope even on the bad days – that there is still so much beauty around me even when things are tough.

Searching for Relief

After surgery, painful but happy, hoping to have some relief.

An endometriosis patient in a hospital bed and gown smiling and happy with someone wearing a mask next to their bed dressed in black.
A blue whale wearing a party hat candle with "Different is Cool" written on the votive representing keeping hope alive during endometriosis.

Different is Cool

Sometimes you have to be your own light or ray of hope to keep on going and it actually feels cool when times are tough.

The Challenge

Enjoying outdoor winter snowshoe after my surgery. It was a challenge but I was energized.

A smiling person with endometriosis in snowy woods wearing a grey toque, red jacket, backback, black pants, snowshoes with one black glove on and one off.
Blue boots next to vibrant yellow and orange mushrooms on grass with leaves on the ground representing finding joy while having endometriosis.

Blue Shoes

There were days I saw beauty in everything.. stumbling upon these pretty little (not so little) mushrooms on a walk on my birthday was a bliss ! My favorite blue shoes added more joy to the picture.

Symbol of Hope

Every low feeling has its own way of making you feel hopeful. The more setbacks I had always ended up with beauty of hope.

A double rainbow over a parkside lake and a person with their dog silhouetted representing finding hope while experiencing endometriosis.

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The photo shows a pink rose-patterned mug of hot chocolate, with a cat curled up on the couch and a heating pad behind it. This scene captures the cozy, confined comfort of home life during the pandemic and the challenges of managing uncertain endometriosis pain.

The Connected Life

Though it looked a little different during the pandemic, connection was found to be an essential component of the lives of people with endometriosis.

Content Sensitive – some photos and captions depict images of fertility.

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A large body of water, with cranes and mountains in the distance, features a person sitting at the bottom of the frame, looking down at the water. The dark blue hues of the person and the water create a unified but melancholic scene, emphasizing the feeling of uncertainty and disorientation in dealing with endometriosis.

The Reflective Life

People found comfort in learning about endometriosis, their own bodies and self-management strategies that could help.

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A portrait of a person sitting on a stool with their legs up and crossed, holding their hands, is overlaid with words and phrases such as "bad patient," "weak-minded," "negative," "my fault," "unworthy," "difficult," "defective," "too complicated," "disappointment," and "shame." These words symbolize the labels and barriers often placed on individuals with endometriosis.

The Healthcare Life

People with endometriosis had varying experiences with the healthcare system.

Content Sensitive – some images may depict medical trauma.

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A screenshot of tracked endometriosis symptoms on a calendar app.

The Daily Life

Endometriosis can impact every facet of someone’s life from their daily activities to careers to social activities.

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Communities

Find an endometriosis community in your area.

endometriosis.org logo
The Endometriosis Network Canada new logo has yellow accent shapes representing a DNA ribbon like spiral and a thin typeface aligned to the left next to the yellow shapes.
EndoActCanada logo
Endometriosis Australia logo
Endometriosis Association
Endometriosis New Zealand Logo
Endometriosis UK logo
Barbados Association Endometriosis & P.C.O.S.
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