Former Australian of the year Grace Tame reveals sad health battle
The activist is among the one in nine Australian women who suffer from the debilitating disease.
Grace Tame has revealed an unexpected health diagnosis, after years of suffering in pain. The activist, and former Australian of the Year, said after years of dismissing her symptoms, including pelvic pain and vomiting, she's been diagnosed with endometriosis.
Tame, a vocal activist for survivors of sexual assault, is among the one in nine Australian women and girls who suffer from the sometimes debilitating disease which, according to Endometriosis Australia, mostly affects the reproductive organs.
She announced the news in a post on Instagram this morning, revealing she recently underwent surgery to remove the endometriosis from her bowel, pelvic walls and sacral ligaments.
For the longest time, Tame said she dismissed her symptoms as a result of "persistent sexual abuse" she endured when she 15-years-old. But only recently discovered what had been causing her pain.
"It’s easy to fall into the trap of internalising trauma to our detriment," she said. "I always assumed persistent sexual abuse alone caused my chronic pelvic pain, and learned to disassociate from most of it.
"The episodes of violent sickness I put down to food poisoning. That is, until the end of 2022, when I began vomiting weekly into early 2023.
"After negative screenings for Crohn’s, coeliac and IBD, my cousin Morgan encouraged me to see a gynaecologist for the first time in over a decade."
After the gynaecologist suspected endometriosis, she underwent surgery on May 24. "Surgery went smoothly, and as I write this, I can’t help but feel extremely grateful to be where I am, even if removal isn’t the panacea for this disease,” she said, hoping to raise more awareness for the disease.
Endometriosis-related hospitalisations on the rise in Australia
Endometriosis is a progressive, chronic condition that affects nearly one million Australian girls and women, or about one in nine women, according to Healthdirect. It occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (womb) grows outside the uterus and can be painful and debilitating.
Symptoms can include abdominal pain, heavy periods, feeling bloated and infertility.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), there were 40,500 endometriosis-related hospitalisations in 2021–22 — representing 312 hospitalisations per 100,000 females. This rate has doubled among females aged 20–24 in the past decade, from 330 hospitalisations per 100,000 females in 2011–12 to 660 per 100,000 in 2021–22.
Big change announced in federal budget
In May's federal budget, the government announced a $49.1m investment into tackling endometriosis. From July 1, 2025, women suffering from the debilitating disease will have longer specialist consultations of 45 minutes or more covered under Medicare.
"We've seen increased rebates for patients, women who have endometriosis and chronic pain, and that's very important. It tells us that the government values women," AMA President, Professor Steve Robson said of the change in May.
Health economist Professor Richard Norman added: "Additional Medicare items for endometriosis are sensible and will help to address the lack of services in the area."
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