About us
Endometriosis is often described as a silent crisis in women’s health. Despite affecting millions of people worldwide, it remains widely misunderstood, under-recognised, and too often overlooked.
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The Endometriosis Foundation (TEF) exists to bring light to endometriosis, helping people understand their bodies, recognise symptoms earlier, and access the care and support they deserve.
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We are a charity built on compassion, collaboration and lived experience. We bring together medical experts, researchers and people directly affected by endometriosis to create meaningful, lasting change through education, evidence-based care, and advocacy.
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Through our community programmes, support groups, events and nurse-led services, we offer both practical guidance and emotional support. Alongside this, we work to inform policy and improve access to vital services and resources, helping to ensure that no one has to face endometriosis alone.
Pictured: Our amazing Volunteers Tanya & Hannah photographed while helping spread the word at Stylist Magazine Live. November, 2024.
The story behind The Endometriosis Foundation
The Endometriosis Foundation was founded by Carla Cressy, whose journey with the condition began at just 13 years old. Despite experiencing severe symptoms and seeking help from specialists from the age of 15, her pain was often overlooked or misdiagnosed as conditions such as gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, lazy bowel syndrome, or simply painful periods.
It wasn’t until she was 25 following an unnecessary appendectomy and emergency surgery during a critical health crisis that Carla was finally diagnosed with severe endometriosis, including frozen pelvis disease and infertility.
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This diagnosis came just six months after a procedure had indicated only minimal signs of the disease, even though her symptoms had grown significantly worse. By the age of 29, Carla had suffered extensive damage, ultimately leading to the loss of her ability to carry children, and requiring major surgeries including a hysterectomy, bladder reconstruction, and a stoma.
Carla’s experience, while deeply personal and incredibly difficult, is sadly not uncommon.
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Endometriosis affects millions of people around the world, yet remains widely under-funded, under diagnosed, and misunderstood. In the UK 1 in 10 females are diagnosed, though this figure may be even higher due to the long average delay in diagnosis currently nearly nine years.
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Motivated by these challenges, Carla took action. She began by creating online support groups that have brought together thousands of people. She went on to deliver educational talks in schools and led a national campaign focused on promoting earlier diagnosis and raising awareness.
Through her efforts, Carla has helped ensure that endometriosis is becoming a more visible and better-understood condition.
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Pictured: Carla photographed against the BBC series Waterloo Road logo sign having featured as a script writer for their award nomination storyline on endometriosis.
Guidance You Can Trust
The information we provide is designed to offer clear, reliable guidance for individuals with suspected or diagnosed endometriosis, as well as for family, friends, and loved ones supporting them. The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice; the content reflects current guidelines from NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) on the diagnosis and management of endometriosis.