UK actor Daneka Etchells has bravely shared her deeply personal battle with endometriosis, highlighting the devastating consequences of a prolonged delay in diagnosis. Her story serves as a stark reminder that for many women, including herself, it can take up to nine years – or even longer – to receive a definitive diagnosis. For Etchells, this wait lasted an agonising 17 years.
At just 12 years old, Etchells began experiencing extreme pain and unusually heavy periods. However, her concerns were repeatedly dismissed by doctors over the course of nearly two decades. This 'medical gaslighting', as she terms it, left her questioning her own experiences and doubting her symptoms. NHS guidelines stress that endometriosis should be suspected in anyone experiencing persistent pelvic pain or heavy bleeding, particularly if these symptoms are accompanied by other signs such as bowel or bladder issues.
Endometriosis affects around one in ten women of childbearing age, causing a range of distressing symptoms including severe pain, fertility problems and bowel/bladder complications. The NHS reports that some 1.5 million women in the UK suffer from endometriosis, yet many experience significant delays before receiving a diagnosis. In Etchells' case, her condition had progressed to the point where extensive lesions were growing on nerves and ligaments, leading to irreversible nerve damage.
The devastating impact of delayed diagnosis is further exemplified by Etchells' experience while performing at Shakespeare's Globe. Her symptoms left her unable to continue with the production, forcing her to take six months off. Despite undergoing private excision surgery to remove endometriosis lesions, she has been left with chronic pain and relies on a mobility aid for everyday tasks.
Etchells' story raises important questions about how healthcare professionals can better support women experiencing symptoms of endometriosis. Her current role in the disabled-led stage adaptation 'The Secret Garden', which explores themes of self-advocacy, echoes her own struggles with medical dismissal and serves as a powerful example of perseverance in the face of adversity.