For generations, women have been taught to endure pain quietly. Period pain was dismissed as ‘normal’, pelvic pain minimised by some health professionals, and suffering endured behind closed doors.
But March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, and Sunshine Coast women, health professionals and community advocates are speaking up to create change.
Endometriosis is a chronic disease where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside it, commonly around the pelvic area, often causing severe pain.
For decades, the only way to diagnose it was via laparoscopy: an invasive and costly surgery. On average, women wait six-and-a-half years for a diagnosis, often because their symptoms are brushed off or misunderstood.
With research breakthroughs and growing awareness, there is hope for the next generation.
At the heart of that hope on the Coast is Magnolia Health: a community organisation founded by local woman Alice Paine, whose own experience with endometriosis became the catalyst for meaningful change.
“When I was younger, endometriosis was barely discussed at all,” she says.
“I first experienced debilitating pain as a teenager, and for many years I simply assumed it was normal.”
By 2021, while juggling work, parenting and everyday life, Alice’s pain became overwhelming.
She was waiting for surgery, struggling to manage her symptoms and feeling profoundly alone.
“In that low season, I decided I didn’t want my pain to be wasted,” she says.
Taking a leap outside her comfort zone, Alice hosted a small afternoon tea as a fundraiser.
She expected a handful of people. Instead, many women showed up, sharing stories, tears and a collective sense of relief.
That afternoon became the seed for Magnolia Health: a Coast-based organisation created to provide connection, comfort and practical support for women living with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain.
“That moment revealed what so many of us already know but don’t talk about: pelvic pain is real, it’s widespread and it’s often invisible,” Alice says.
“While there are respected national organisations advocating for endometriosis, I felt a strong calling to create something that directly serves our local Sunshine Coast community.”
Since launching in March 2023, Magnolia Health has grown into a deeply valued network offering online support groups, social and wellbeing events, care packages for women recovering from surgery or severe flare-ups, and access to trusted local health resources.
“All of these services are designed to say what so many women feel: you are not alone, your story matters and there is support here for you,” Alice says.
“Awareness has thankfully improved in recent years, and there’s more research and funding now than before.”
Yet, Alice says the health care system is still falling short.
“The reality is that many women still have to fight just to be heard, taken seriously or referred to appropriate care,” she says.
She points to long waiting lists, siloed (fragmented) care, and a lack of specialist training in pelvic pain among general practitioners – barriers that place emotional strain on women already in physical pain.
“Women’s health is complex and deserves better resourcing, holistic care models, and coordinated support,” Alice says.
That belief fuels Magnolia Health’s long-term vision for a Sunshine Coast-based Women’s Health Hub, bringing specialists, education and support services together under one roof.
Encouragingly, research breakthroughs may soon help ease one of the biggest burdens women face: delayed diagnosis.
Recent research developed by Perth-based medical technology company Proteomics International, alongside the Royal Women’s Hospital and the University of Melbourne, has identified a promising, non-invasive blood test for early detection of endometriosis.
“Non-invasive tests for endometriosis, like simple blood tests, are incredibly promising,” Alice says.
“If endometriosis could be identified earlier, it would mean women get answers, support and treatment much sooner, instead of spending years in pain and confusion.”
Using a technique called proteomics, researchers studied thousands of proteins within blood plasma to identify reliable biomarkers.
After testing 749 participants, 10 plasma protein biomarkers demonstrated strong predictive accuracy.
“To me, these developments offer real hope for a future where women are believed earlier and don’t have to struggle for so long to be taken seriously,” Alice says.
Allied health professionals are playing a crucial role in supporting women living with endometriosis – including pelvic health physiotherapists such as Lissy Changuion, director of The Pelvic Health Physio in Mooloolaba.
The clinic was created with a clear vision: a safe, nurturing space where women feel heard, supported and empowered to regain control of their pelvic health.
“Pelvic pain is something many have suffered with in silence for generations,” Lissy says.
“We now understand that ‘period pain’ is not normal, and more women are speaking up and seeking support.”
Pelvic health physiotherapy helps people understand how the pelvic floor, muscles, nerves and nervous system contribute to pain, recognising that no two experiences are the same.
“Through education, manual therapy, pelvic floor retraining, movement-based rehabilitation, breathwork and nervous system down-regulation strategies, many can regain confidence in their bodies,” Lissy says.
She has seen a significant increase in Sunshine Coast women seeking support.
“There has been a real shift in awareness, advocacy and early intervention,” she says.
“A collaborative approach is making a real difference.”
Her advice for those experiencing pelvic pain is grounded in compassion: gentle movement, breath-based practices, heat and rest during flare-ups.
“It’s about reframing the narrative,” she says. “Your body is not broken, you are not alone and support exists.”
That message of connection extends beyond clinics and support groups and onto the streets this month.
Sunshine Coast siblings and local business owners Jonny Giles and Kim Bexon are taking on an extraordinary challenge: running 21km every day for 21 days, aiming to raise $21,000 for Magnolia Health and men’s mental health charity Grab Life by the Balls.
Despite being new runners, the pair say the challenge is about showing up.
“It can be so easy for mental health to slip without having the right people around you in the hard times,” Jonny says.
“This is our way of standing beside them and saying: ‘You’re not alone’.”
Their runs will travel through landmark regional locations and are open to the community, transforming endurance into a moving act of solidarity.
“This challenge isn’t about being elite athletes,” Kim says.
“It’s about community, compassion and reminding people that support is closer than they think.”
To donate to the 21km for 21 Days fundraiser, visit 21km-for-21days.raiselysite.com/.
For more information on Magnolia Health, go to magnoliahealth.com.au.
WHAT IS ENDOMETRIOSIS?
Endometriosis is a chronic disease where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside it, commonly around the pelvic area, and often causing severe pain.
Symptoms can include chronic pelvic pain, fatigue, gastrointestinal and bladder dysfunction, and difficulty conceiving or infertility. There is no cure, but there is treatment. Endometriosis often requires lifelong, multidisciplinary care.
BY THE NUMBERS:
- One-in-seven females are estimated to live with endometriosis in Australia, based on those diagnosed with the condition by age 44 to 49, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Endometriosis in Australia report reveals.
- There were 40,500 endometriosis-related hospitalisations in 2021–22.
EVENT
To mark Endometriosis Awareness Month, The Pelvic Health Physio in Mooloolaba will host the Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis Wellness Morning on Saturday, March 21. The free event will include education on pelvic floor health, practical pain-management strategies, a stretch and breath class, and gift bags for attendees. See thepelvichealthphysio.com.au.
