Beyond the Summit

My 2025 Journey Through the Shadow of Thoracic Endo

In the world of endurance sports – the “Sea to Summit” challenges that usually fill my calendar – we talk a lot about “the wall.”
It’s that moment where your legs turn to lead and your mind has to take over the heavy lifting.

But in 2025, I didn’t just hit a wall.

I hit a mountain that wasn’t on any map.

A Different Kind of Battle

I’m no stranger to endometriosis. I’ve had my fair share of surgeries and setbacks over the years, and I genuinely thought I knew what this disease could throw at me.

But what unfolded at the start of 2025 was a different beast entirely.
It wasn’t just “another flare-up.”

It started with a slow, debilitating burn that wouldn’t let me sleep. I had relentless nerve pain in my shoulder tip and rib cage – like a localised lightning storm that never switched off. It honestly felt like an angry electrician had moved into my chest and was constantly wiring things incorrectly.

Beyond the pain, I lost my ability to move like myself.

Every time I tried to exercise, my lungs felt like they were being restricted by a corset three sizes too small. Breathing; the most basic thing we do, became a chore.

For someone who feels most like themselves when pushing limits and being active, being sidelined like that wasn’t just physically hard… it shook my identity.

The Fight to Be Believed

I’ve spent years driving change through Lady Talk Matters, advocating for women to be heard.

And then suddenly, here I was, back to square one – I was the one fighting to be believed.

I had an initial surgery for suspected thoracic endometriosis. I woke up to be told it was “unsuccessful.” Worse than that, I was told there was nothing wrong with me. If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of that kind of dismissal, you’ll know how quickly it messes with your head. It’s the ultimate medical gaslighting; the kind where you start doubting your own lived experience.

Not long after that, my lung kept collapsing, and the pain reached a point I can’t quite describe. I felt like I was going mad. I was a shadow of myself, and I genuinely worried that if the endo didn’t get me… the exhaustion and loss of who I was might.

The Power of Self-Advocacy

If I’ve learnt anything through the years, it’s how to grit my teeth and keep going – even when everything in you wants to stop.

But even at my lowest, I still knew my body.

I knew this wasn’t “all in my head.”

So with Karl firmly by my side, I continued to advocate for myself. I found a specialist in the UK who looked at my history, listened to my symptoms, and said the words I didn’t realise I was desperate to hear:

“You aren’t mad.”

Even though I was terrified to face yet another surgery, I knew I couldn’t survive another year as a “shadow.”

The surgery lasted six and a half hours. A long, hard slog for the surgical team, but what felt like a victory for me. Crazy when you think it about really – I was happy to be told there was something wrong with me!

They found and removed confirmed endometriosis from my lungs, my diaphragm, and behind my liver.

I wasn’t imagining it.

Back on the Bike

I don’t know exactly what the future holds for any sporting goals just yet.

But yesterday, the very last day of the year, I got a glimpse of ‘Andrea’ again. I was able to go out on my mountain bike with a brilliant group of women. With their encouragement, I managed to ride a trail that has always defeated me in the past!

I felt like a human being again.

Not an “endo patient.”
Not a “shadow.”
Just me.

2026: Health and Humanhood

This past year has changed my entire perspective.

As I look toward 2026, my focus is simple:

Prioritising Health

Giving my body the grace and time it needs to recover! While I love a finish line, the most important thing is my health.

Being a Good Human

In a world where we all have the capacity to be kind, I want to focus on simply being a good human. Deepening the connections with those who carried me when I was at my worst… and remembering that everyone is fighting a mountain we can’t always see.

Perspective, Privilege and giving back

I’m acutely aware that my ability to push for a second opinion and access specialist care is a privilege. Not every woman has the resources or support system to keep shouting when the door is shut in her face. I MUST use this privilege to support others and ensure that other women have access to the care they need.

My journey shouldn’t be the exception.

It should be the standard of care.