From Janet Mbugua to Koikai here are celebs battling endometriosis

Piece by: Peninah Njoki
Lifestyle

We take a look at local and international celebrities who are battling endometriosis and those who have overcome the disease, partially or completely.

Endometriosis, sometimes called “endo,” is a common health problem in women. It gets its name from the word endometrium, the tissue that normally lines the uterus or womb.

Endometriosis happens when this tissue grows outside of your uterus and on other areas in your body where it doesn’t belong.

 Most often, endometriosis is found on the:

  • Ovaries
  • Fallopian tubes
  • Tissues that hold the uterus in place
  • Outer surface of the uterus

1. Jahmby Koikai

Jahmby says she has battled the disease since she was 13.

My name is Mary Njambi Koikai, a stage 4 Endometriosis survivor.

The disease had ravaged my body for 19years and 3 years ago it spread to my lungs and chest area.

This disease was causing my lungs to collapse every month while I was on my period. I have undergone 16 surgeries including the main surgeries here in Atlanta, Georgia.

Adding,

I have never had a painless period since I was 13years old. Doctors tried everything on me.

I tried everything you can think of until my gynaecologist told me I needed specialized treatment.

Jahmby Koikai

2. Janet Mbugua

Janet opened up on her journey with endometriosis recently sharing her struggles and wins with the condition with her followers.

This was me in 2015. Ten years earlier, in 2005, I had just undergone a laparoscopy for deep ovarian endometriosis, also known as endometriomas or ovarian cysts.

It causes the formation of cavities within the ovary that fill with blood.

It had been years, literally since high school, of painful, prolonged periods that sometimes rendered me unable to go to class or to the office, especially during the first few days of my cycle.

Finally getting a diagnosis was such a breakthrough and I was put on birth control thereafter and have had to continue using this, except for the times we were trying for a baby.

In conclusion, Janet says

Until today, if I don’t take my medication, I’ll struggle during my period.

3. Ciru Muriuki

The BBC reporter has on a few occasions opened up about battling endometriosis. For her, no pain can compare to the one the condition puts one through.

Sharing a past photo of her Ciru says that its been years of pain.

This was me, after my first laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis cysts. It was two days before Christmas in 2017.

Basically,what was happening was I was bleeding into my ovaries every time I had my period.

Words cannot describe the pain. It sometimes takes years for endometriosis to be definitively diagnosed because women are told that pain is part of being a woman.

4. Whoopi Goldberg

During a past speech, Whoopi said that she was lucky because her doctor was intelligent enough to identify what she was suffering from.

I had endometriosis 30 years ago maybe. 

I was very, very lucky.  I had an intelligent doctor who sort of knew what was going on and said well, here take this stuff and he cleared it up.  I was very lucky.

Whoopi Goldberg

5. Corazon Kwamboka

Corazon recently opened up about her battle. According to her, she shared her journey so that someone going through the same would be encouraged.

She says,

I BATTLED HARD TO WRITE THIS BECAUSE I FELT LIKE I’M STRIPPING MYSELF AND TELLING MY HEALTH ISSUES TO THE WHOLE WORLD, I’M A BELIEVER OF PRIVACY, BUT I KNOW THIS MAY HELP ONE LITTLE GIRL IN ONE LITTLE VILLAGE READING THIS.

WHEN I WALKED INTO HIS OFFICE, I HAD NO HOPE, DEPRESSED (FROM A BAD BREAKUP) AND REALIZING THAT I HAD 2 LARGE CYSTS ( 7CM AND 3CM) ON BOTH MY OVARIES.

HE GAVE ME HOPE AND ASSURED ME EVERYTHING WOULD BE OKAY, HE TOOK MY MATTER TO HEART AND CONDUCTED MY SURGERY WITH UPMOST KNOW-HOW AND TODAY, MY SCAN RESULTS ARE BACK, I’M HAPPY TO SAY I’M A SURVIVOR.

THANK YOU DOCTOR.