A new report has put endometriosis firmly in the spotlight — and sufferers are finally being heard. Here’s how South Australia plans to change diagnosis, care, and lives.
When Kristel Dally started vomiting from unbearable pain, unable to eat or sleep for days, her doctors repeatedly told her to “toughen up – everyone has periods”.
But what Kristel had wasn’t just a bad period. It was endometriosis, a chronic and debilitating condition that affects around one in nine Australian women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB).
“I spent eight years being dismissed, misdiagnosed, and left in excruciating pain before I was finally diagnosed,” Kristel says. “I genuinely thought I was losing my mind.”
What is “endo”?
Endometriosis, known as “endo,” occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it, often leading to severe pain, infertility, and chronic health problems.
For Kristel, endo has meant a life filled with anxiety, hospital visits, financial strain, and 10 surgeries, including the recent removal of her appendix, left ovary, and fallopian tube.
“It robs you of your identity,” she says. “I went from performing internationally as a dancer and gigging with my band to barely managing daily life.”
But despite everything, the Adelaide radio announcer and Endometriosis Australia ambassador maintains a sense of humour. “I’ve burnt through so many wheat bags trying to manage pain,” she says. “May they rest in peace.”
Why South Australia’s new endo report matters
Sadly, Kristel’s story isn’t the exception – it’s the norm for people with endo. Until recently, endometriosis was poorly understood, frequently misdiagnosed, and largely ignored by the healthcare system.
In South Australia alone, around 35,000 women and AFAB people live with the condition, yet many have faced years of dismissive attitudes and inadequate care.
Seeing the scale of the problem, the SA House of Assembly voted in 2024 to establish a Select Committee on Endometriosis.
Independent of government, the committee gathered evidence from 74 individuals and 85 submissions from patients, families, medical professionals, and researchers.
This extensive investigation highlighted shocking delays in diagnosis – often up to six years – and significant gaps in treatment, education, workplace support, and public awareness.
Now, the state government has accepted, in principle, all 20 recommendations of the Select Committee’s report – a step that promises real change for sufferers like Kristel.
What the report means for Kristel
For Kristel, the landmark endometriosis report isn’t just paperwork – it’s hope. “We’re finally being seen and heard,” she says. “That’s everything.”
The report includes an ambitious goal to reduce diagnosis times dramatically – from an average of six years down to just one year.
“That’s huge,” Kristel says. “Getting a quick diagnosis means quicker treatment, less damage, and less pain. It can literally change lives.”
Better training means fewer women dismissed
A central recommendation from the inquiry is improving how medical professionals – from GPs to specialists – recognise and manage endometriosis. Kristel vividly recalls the mental toll of being ignored.
“Every doctor’s appointment felt like emotional torture. I’d leave crying because yet another doctor told me I should just have a baby and it would fix things,” she says. “Better-trained doctors could have saved me years of pain and surgeries.”
The report emphasises multidisciplinary care – teams of specialists working together to manage the full range of physical and emotional impacts endo sufferers face. Kristel says this approach could finally offer the holistic support women desperately need.
Practical improvements for everyday life
Beyond quicker diagnosis and better-trained healthcare workers, the Select Committee’s report recommends practical, real-world improvements:
- Creating more dedicated endometriosis and chronic pain clinics throughout the state
- Improving emergency room care for endo patients
- Launching public health campaigns to raise awareness
- Offering specific Medicare item numbers for better, more affordable diagnostic imaging.
For Kristel, the financial burden of endometriosis has been enormous, saying, “I could buy a house with the money I’ve spent on healthcare,” she says.
She feels hopeful that this South Australian report could mean other women won’t have to go through what she did.
“South Australia is taking important steps, and hopefully, the rest of Australia will follow,” she says.
Changing workplaces, changing lives
Kristel highlights the need for change beyond just healthcare – workplaces and community attitudes also need to evolve.
“I had to quit a dream radio job because my employer didn’t support flexible working conditions,” Kristel says. “Workplaces say they’re supportive, but actions matter more than words.”
The Select Committee’s report calls for employers to step up, offering genuine flexibility and understanding for employees living with endo.
“Flexible work means instead of losing your job, you can keep contributing,” Kristel says. “It’s about dignity and quality of life.”
As well as the individual suffering, endometriosis costs Australia $9.7 billion each year, so supporting workers with endo also makes economic sense.
Help from the feds
On top of the state’s efforts, the federal government has announced funding for 11 more Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinics around Australia, bringing the total to 33.
From July, endo sufferers can access longer specialist consultations (45 minutes or more) under Medicare, and from May, the endo treatment Ryeqo will be available through the PBS.
Think you might have endo? Here’s what Kristel wants you to know
“Trust your instincts,” Kristel says to young South Australians who suspect they might have endometriosis.
“If you’re in pain, it’s real. Don’t let anyone dismiss you or tell you it’s normal. It’s not.”
“There’s still a stigma around women’s health, especially periods. People think endo is ‘just a period thing’, but it’s so much more.”
Kristel’s advice for friends and family? “Listen. Educate yourself. Your support means more than you could ever know.”
Where to find help
If you think you have endometriosis, you should see your doctor to discuss your symptoms. If they don’t take your symptoms seriously, says Kristel, then it’s time to change doctors. “Back yourself. You know your body.”
There’s also help and info to tap online:
- Endometriosis Australia has great resources available, including a podcast, endo-friendly workouts and a workplace assistance program.
- Endozone is the place to go for evidence-based answers to all your endo questions.
- This symptom checker lets you create a report for your doctor to help get you diagnosed faster and treated more effectively.
- Raising Awareness Tool for Endometriosis (RATE) is another handy tool, created by Australian gynaecologists to help your GP identify and assess your endometriosis symptoms.
- Qendo offers the first Australian endo app to help you manage and track your symptoms.
- Endo Support SA is an online support group for South Australians living with endometriosis.
You can download the Final Report of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Endometriosis here.
