Bindi Irwin shared an emotional Instagram message with fans on Monday when she posted photos from a hospital bed.
The wildlife warrior and daughter of the late Steve Irwin posted a lengthy message revealing the difficult impact her “invisible disease” has had on her body.
As part of endometriosis awareness month, Bindi opened up about the extent of her battle with the silent condition and confessed: “I was trapped in my own body.”
“In the last three years, I’ve had over 50 endometriosis lesions cut out of my body,” she wrote. “A chocolate cyst that was adhering my ovary to my side was removed. An appendectomy and a hernia repair. I’ve felt indescribable, inescapable pain.”
She continued: “Trying to keep my invisible illness to myself after being told by doctors it was just “part of being a woman.” I spent 10 years being undiagnosed. As a teenager and young woman, I felt weak and deeply insecure. I was trapped in my own body.”
Don’t suffer in silence
© Getty ImagesShe then addressed endometriosis awareness month and wrote: “As this month comes to a close, I urge everyone to remember this invisible disease each and every day. To lend support, compassion and grace towards the millions who suffer. It’s up to all of us to raise awareness, not just for endometriosis but for women’s health as a whole.
“No one deserves to suffer in silence. For more information I turned to @seckinmd and @endofound. If you’re in pain, my heart breaks for you. I believe you. Please find answers. And don’t give up on yourself. I know how hard that can be.”
Finding support
© InstagramShe was inundated with messages from fans and loved ones, including her husband, Chandler Powell, who penned: “Strongest person I know. So proud to be your husband.”
Others called her “brave,” and many thanked her for her honestly and for being an “ongoing voice.”
Her mom, Terri, also showed her support: “I am so proud of you for sharing your journey, Bindi,” she commented: “I have learned that it is important for women to seek out a surgeon who performs excision surgery instead of ablation. Everyone deserves to live without pain!”
Revealing her struggles
© Jamie McCarthyBindi first opened up about her struggle with the disease in 2023. A year later, she was honoured with the Endometriosis Foundation of America’s Blossom Award for her work in raising awareness of the condition.
She shares her daughter, Grace, five, with Chandler, who she married in 2020.
What is endometriosis?
© InstagramHELLO! spoke with Jessica Horwitz, the Chief Clinical Officer at Tia, a provider of whole-person women’s healthcare, about the rampant chronic disease. She explained: “Endometriosis is a complex inflammatory condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) grows in other parts of the body, such as the pelvis, ovaries, fallopian tubes, or even around organs like the bladder or bowel.
Jessica further explained that many cases go untreated and that “in the U.S., anywhere from about 5-11% of women ages 15-49 may have [the condition].” Furthermore: “Among women who are infertile, up to 50% have been found to have endometriosis.”
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