EndoPhoto

Under The Mask

I even feel okay to wear mask when I go out. It’s just like a new normal for everyone. I can hide my feelings from anyone under the mask.

The Daily Life Gallery

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Dark Unknowns

Endometriosis is an invisible disability at times because someone can look so vibrant on the outside, while suffering with deep darkness physically and emotionally as the disease exists inside my body.

The Daily Life Gallery

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Tracking Symptoms

As my symptoms worsened, I began to document them. I used an app ….. to track my symptoms. 

The Daily Life Gallery

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So Many Soaks

When a hot bath is the only pain relief that seems to work, there are days and hours spent soaking in the tub – unable to do much else. Sometimes, the pain is so debilitating I take my work calls, tend to emails, and try to continue on with life the best I can from the comfort of this little porcelain cage … without my usual coping methods available during the pandemic there is nothing but time to sit with it. 

The Daily Life Gallery

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Date Night

A date with my husband has a plan B in case of how I end up feeling. Plan B is hanging out on the couch with a heat pad, movie, hot chocolate and our cat. 

The Connected Life Gallery

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Tiny Barnacles

A lone encrusted post in the ocean. Creepy crawling feeling when I look at it, reminding me of the first endo photos I saw when I got the diagnosis. Feeling like my organs are encrusted in tiny barnacles, rusted and useless.

The Reflective Life Gallery

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Self-Portrait

This self-portrait depicts the emotions, thoughts, and fears that have accumulated from my interactions with the health care system. As a person living with Endometriosis, the process of seeking thorough and compassionate care has, at times, been a dehumanizing experience that has impacted my sense of self. However, I know that I am so much more than my illness. 

The Healthcare Life Gallery

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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.

A Resilient Life Gallery

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Tomato Endo

These organic tomato looks like the endo in my bod

The Reflective Life Gallery

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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.

We found that their intense and inspiring experiences represented the many lives they led including Daily Life, Connected Life, Reflective life, Healthcare Life, and ultimately A Resilient Life.

Throughout this exhibit, please keep in mind that some photos depict sensitive subjects such as fertility, mental health and medical trauma.

If you are experiencing endometriosis, remember that you are not alone, your pain is real and there are treatments and resources available.

This project was co-developed by the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Endometriosis Pelvic Pain Laboratory and the UBC Endometriosis Patient Research Advisory Board. It was funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and Michael Smith Health Research BC which had no influence over the process or outcome of the project. Ethics approval was provided by the UBC Childrens and Womens Research Ethics Board and all participants provided informed consent.

At the UBC Endometriosis Pelvic Pain Laboratory we believe in a trauma-informed and patient-oriented approach to healthcare research.

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.  It can challenge their physical strength and emotional well-being. Despite the pain, isolation, loneliness, grief and hope, people with endometriosis are strong.

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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.

Many described both the benefits and challenges of navigating the social world with endometriosis.

Trigger warning - some photos and captions depict images of fertility.

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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.
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.
The extra time during Covid-19 helped some to research their experiences and become more prepared.

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The Healthcare Life

People with endometriosis had varying experiences with the healthcare system.  Many experienced long delays to diagnosis and struggled to receive appropriate and timely care.

They experienced mixed emotions including fear, disappointment, shame, promise and hope. 

Content Sensitive Images – some images may depict medical trauma.

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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.
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.

A Resilient Life

Despite the challenges faced by people with endometriosis many described a strong sense of resiliency noting that there was hope for the future.

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