Most women are used to the fact that once a month they - or someone they know - is incapacitated for a few days because of the "discomfort", it's "normal", "all part of being a woman", "just the way things are.

Period pains are seen as being normal. We pop a pill and get on with life (if we can) because we just can't afford to take any more time out of our lives. But the plain fact of the matter is that if you experience anything other than a mild cramp, there's something much more sinister going on and it needs addressing urgently.

Women around the world work through the discomfort – pain – they experience during their menstruation because they have to. Study after study has shown that when women go to the doctors with a pain related issue, particularly if that pain is associated with menstruation, it takes a very long time, and an awful lot of effort, to convince doctors that something is wrong and they’re not just having a whinge.

Numerous studies have shown that when women complain about being in pain, they’re met with scepticism and lack of comprehension, they feel rejected, ignored, and belittled, blamed for their condition and are often initially assigned a psychological explanation for their pain.

Yet around the world, approximately 11% of women suffer from endometriosis, a common disease where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside it in other parts of the body causing extreme pain and which can result in infertility.

More than 830,000 women in Australia alone struggle with endometriosis, yet it still takes an average of 6.5 years to be diagnosed with the disease and there is still no cure.

Join me in conversation with Alexis Wolfe, CEO of Endometriosis Australia and an Endo Warrior herself. This is something that we all need to be more aware of. We shouldn’t be allowing ourselves, our daughters and friends to struggle with monthly pain because the pain is very likely to be a symptom of something much more serious than “monthly problems”

"That's really why endometriosis Australia exists, because we want to find the answers to all of those questions about endometriosis so that we can give these individuals better treatment options, a faster diagnosis, and hopefully one day, a cure, because currently there is no cure for endometriosis."

Alexis’ passion and notable leadership qualities led to her appointment as CEO in May 2021. Previously holding senior roles in the not-for-profit and corporate sectors, Alexis has led successful and determined teams to raise over $50M.

As an Endo Warrior herself, Alexis is driven to deliver on Endometriosis Australia’s objectives to increase awareness, education and research for the disease.

Initially starting her career in sports event management, Alexis pivoted into marketing for renowned experiential agency Maverick. It was there she led teams to create immersive and bespoke experiences for both household and luxury brands. After years of working in the corporate sector, Alexis made a conscious choice to seek out roles in the not-for-profit sector joining Mission Australia’s Fundraising and Marketing leadership team.