Ten years ago today, at the age of 37, I underwent a hysterectomy and was told I was “cured.”

I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Endometriosis in 2005. Like many women, I trusted the medical advice I was given and believed my suffering was finally coming to an end.

Instead, I spent the next TEN MORE YEARS fighting for answers, fighting for treatment, fighting to be heard and fighting for access to specialist care.

Today, despite the introduction of the Endometriosis Surgery Abroad Interim Scheme (ESAIS), I am still unable to access the care I need.

I was approved under ESAIS. I travelled abroad. I followed every step required of me. Yet I have now been informed that the clinician I was referred to is not the appropriate specialist for my case, leaving me once again without a clear pathway for treatment.

While ESAIS was an important first step, significant barriers remain.

The scheme does not cover accommodation, food, luggage charges, airport transfers, taxis, public transport, train journeys or many of the real-life costs associated with travelling abroad for medical care.

Many Endometriosis patients are already living with chronic pain, disability, reduced incomes, unemployment, fertility loss and the long-term impacts of medical trauma. Expecting patients to absorb these additional costs creates a healthcare system where access is determined by financial means rather than medical need.

Being approved for care and being able to access care are two very different things.

We are calling on the Government and the HSE to:

• Review and reform ESAIS to reflect the true cost of accessing treatment abroad.
• Provide accommodation and transport supports for approved patients.
• Create clear pathways for complex Endometriosis cases.
• Establish specialist Endometriosis centres within Ireland.
• Recognise the decades of medical neglect experienced by Endometriosis patients.
• Ensure that no patient is left without a treatment pathway after being approved for care.

For too long, women with Endometriosis have been expected to suffer in silence.

After 21 years living with this disease and TEN MORE YEARS spent fighting after my hysterectomy, I am asking for change—not only for myself, but for every patient who comes after me.

Patients deserve better.

Sign and share if you believe access to healthcare should not depend on a patient’s ability to fund the journey.