Student Reflection

During Pastoral, we, along with our fellow Year 11 and 12 students, had the privilege of learning about an issue that is relevant to many of our lives. College Counsellor Hannah Francis led us in a meaningful presentation about endometriosis, allowing us all to further our understanding of what is “normal” when it comes to periods. The talk was both eye-opening and impactful. Endometriosis affects 14% of women around the world, however, is often misunderstood, misdiagnosed or ignored entirely. Many of us had heard the word before but didn’t understand how deeply it can affect someone’s life. We were shocked to learn that endometriosis can spread beyond the uterus, impacting all organs of the body including the brain and eyes.

Hannah asked us to raise our hands if we had ever been told to ‘toughen up’ while on our period. Being told to ‘toughen up’ while on your period might seem like a harmless comment, but for women struggling with period pain, especially those living with endometriosis, it can be deeply damaging, as it dismisses a valid medical condition. This empowering message allowed us to feel that we can be capable of speaking out and seeking help if we are ever experiencing symptoms such as: painful periods, excessive bleeding, fatigue and low energy levels, and digestive issues like bloating, constipation, or diarrhea, as we shouldn’t have to suffer alone. It helped us realise someone could be struggling silently with chronic pain, and how easy it is to ignore these symptoms if we’re not informed. The mind-body connection is a bidirectional communication between the body and the brain. The presentation explained how this link can negatively impact both your physical and mental health. We were taught how we can use this knowledge to our advantage by practising eating healthily, meditating, sleep quantity and physical exercise to improve our mindset during our cycle.

Thank you Hannah, for taking the time to speak to us. We are all so grateful to you for sharing your insights into endometriosis. If anyone is struggling with any symptoms seek help to stay safe and check out “Endometriosis Australia” for more information at https://endometriosisaustralia.org .

Grace Lamb, Lily Mealor and Tamsyn Reidy

Year 11

Sue Dempster and Trish Moloney

Level Leaders: Year 11 and Year 12