How We Turned Awareness Into Action For Endometriosis Month

Endometriosis is a chronic condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the womb, causing pain (often as intense as labour), inflammation and sometimes infertility. Despite affecting around 1.5 million in the UK alone, the condition remains misunderstood, underfunded and underdiagnosed. Here’s a little more information on endometriosis:

• Decade-long diagnosis: On average, it takes around 9 years to receive a diagnosis after the first GP visit, leaving women to suffer for nearly a decade.
• Invisible disease: As a female-only condition, endometriosis has historically received less research and funding than other diseases.
• Wildly misunderstood: Patients are often dismissed by GPs, gynecologists, employers and schools, despite the condition having a significant impact on quality of life.
• No cure: There is currently no cure, and even a hysterectomy does not guarantee relief.
• Life-altering pain and mental health impact: Can disrupt work, study, relationships and everyday life.

Endometriosis isn’t rare, mild, or “just a period.” It’s a serious, systemic condition that deserves better.

Throughout the month, we turned our office into a visible show of support by lighting it yellow, the international colour of Endometriosis awareness, in collaboration with local lighting specialists Firefly Event Production. But the visual statement was just the beginning.

A dedicated banner was added to every team member’s email signature, helping to spread awareness in every conversation we had externally. Office screensavers and laptop backgrounds were updated across the team to keep the message front of mind throughout the month. And a large banner was installed on the side of our office building, turning our workplace into a visible statement of support within the local community.

To try and understand what living with endometriosis feels like, we brought in a pain simulator and put it to the test on our Sales Director and Technical Project Manager. Experiencing even a fraction of the intense, relentless pain that many endure daily was eye-opening.

We proudly sponsored and attended The Endo Gala, a charity ball dedicated to raising funds and awareness for endometriosis research and support. Hosted locally at Rudding Park, the evening brought together businesses, advocates, and members of the community for a night of connection, storytelling and fundraising, all in support of improving outcomes for those living with the condition.

Across our social channels, we launched an awareness campaign highlighting the scale of endometriosis, sharing statistics, personal stories, and impactful content to help break stigma and increase understanding. Our campaign reached 15,748 views, sparking conversations and engagement both within our community and beyond.

To take awareness further, our Project Manager Eva, who lives with endometriosis, shared her personal experience, the care provided by First Event and the impact of the condition on daily life in interviews on BBC Radio Leeds and other platforms.

We extended this message through industry publications and local news outlets, sharing our endometriosis awareness efforts, employee support initiatives and the launch of our chronic illness policy. By amplifying our voice beyond our own channels, we reached a wider audience and helped spark important conversations about women’s health, chronic illness, and workplace support.

Being an employee-owned agency means our culture is shaped by our people. Listening to their experiences and supporting the causes that matter to them isn’t just something we do, it’s who we are. Endometriosis Awareness Month gave us the chance to recognise and stand with those in our team affected by the condition, while putting our ESG commitments into action.

To further support our people, we’ve introduced a chronic conditions policy, designed to better support those living with long-term health conditions, including endometriosis, with the flexibility, understanding and adjustments they need to thrive. Alongside this, we prioritise wellbeing, foster a culture where everyone feels safe to speak up, and create an environment where all can contribute at their best.