After sharing my 2 year journey of unanswered questions, endless tests, pills and suffering, I am calling for the Australian Department of Health, Queensland Health and Metro North Health Services to take action in recognising that all women suffering deserve the right to have a hysterectomy should they need or want one. 

As it currently stands, there appears to be a certain age limit to be considered for this operation, despite the severity of pain and suffering some women go through. Women like myself who have suffered through years of pain, bleeding, not knowing why, are being told we cannot have this procedure due to our age and are expected to live the way we have been. 

I myself have two young children, boy and girl. Mentally i know i cannot handle having another child, i am quite happy with my little family. For 2 years since the birth of my son i have pushed through severe pain, bleeding every day, endless tests and alternative methods with no change, in fact sometimes making it worse. When questioning about my rights for a hysterectomy i am told that because i am only 27 it will be a hard case for me to sell. I have a family history of uterine cancer and endometriosis. My grandmother was diagnosed with uterine cancer at the young age of 29 and had a full hysterectomy, only two years older than i am now. My aunty has endometriosis and is currently awaiting results for shadowing found on her uterus *Edit: They found cysts on both ovaries however still no results regarding the shadowing, but she has now been booked in for a hysterectomy also to be performed in December).

I find it very upsetting that instead of listening to me and accepting my family history and the pain i am going through, they hand me pain medication and send me on my way.

This is wrong on so many levels. I understand why there is a general age limit, but for women like myself who have suffered for too long, age should not even be considered. If it is affecting our health and daily activities to be the mother or person we need to be then this procedure should be available. Being a single mother, i need to be at my healthiest to be able to live and provide for those two kids. At the moment i cannot do that and every aspect of my life is being affected because of this.

I call on the Australian Government Department of Health as well as the Queensland Health and Metro North Health Services Board to please consider reviewing the regulations for the hysterectomy procedure and consider reviewing my case.

There are many women like me who are being knocked back and forced to continue suffering all because of an age limit. 

Thank you.