A decision Emma Watkins made six years ago changed her life

When Emma Watkins was told she may have endometriosis she had no idea what it was. 
Until the day she was having an ultrasound to uncover the cause of years of concerning symptoms, the former Yellow Wiggle had never heard the word. It only left her more confused.
“I had never heard of it. How ridiculous,” Watkins tells 9honey. 
If she was diagnosed today, it would have been a totally different story.
READ MORE: Three days after routine surgery, Ambar was in a coma
Because today, not only is endometriosis talked about in a way it simply wasn’t six years ago, Watkins herself is one of the loudest voices in the public conversation.
After receiving an official diagnosis, she became a passionate advocate for endometriosis awareness, speaking openly about her experience in an effort to help other women like her feel seen.
Despite some initial trepidation, Watkins’ decision to share her endometriosis experience with the nation back in 2018 was “quite an easy” one. She wanted to be transparent with her audience.
It was a decision that changed everything. 
“It really was a pivotal moment in my career, because I didn’t think that talking about it would be that useful, but really it changed my life,” she says.
READ MORE: Doctors called Ella ‘dramatic’ when the agony began 
Now, every single time Watkins does a meet and greet or speaks to attendees at her shows, she’s approached by at least one person who will ask how she’s doing, thank her for her openness, or share their own experience with endometriosis. 
“I have heard so many stories about [how opening up about her diagnosis helped] other people, because then they felt that they could then talk about it,” she says. 
“And I feel proud of that.”
The fact Watkins hears stories like her own day after day just proves how pervasive the disease is. 
Endometriosis is estimated to affect around one in seven women and people born with female reproductive organs, and symptoms ranging from chronic pelvic pain and fertility issues to depression and anxiety – can be debilitating.
READ MORE: Invisible disease costing one in six women like Sarah their jobs
Alongside the already life-altering symptoms, endometriosis is associated with several alarming comorbidities.
A recent study revealed women with endometriosis are more than four times more likely to develop ovarian cancer than women without the condition. As ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological cancer, and there’s still no early detection test, it’s a statistic that weighs heavily on the minds of so many “endo warriors” who already have more than enough worry about.
Watkins does her best to leave that particular figure laying dormant in the recesses of her mind. 
“It doesn’t tend to weigh on me but, you know, I can appreciate that that’s a concern for so many women,” she says.
While she believes it’s important to be informed about our health and the risks associated with conditions like endometriosis, she doesn’t want to lead with fear.
READ MORE: In the 365 days since Leane died, her killer has claimed over 1000 lives
“I think it’s something to be aware of but I don’t think that we can be scared of it. I think we need to come together and open those conversations so that we can support each other,” she says.
Conversation, she believes, is one of the most pivotal parts of tackling endometriosis and debilitating reproductive conditions like it.
“I mean, the more education we have and the more information that we have, it means that these women can make better decisions for their own personal situation,” she says.
Thanks to the advocacy from people like Watkins, women’s health organisations and practitioners, awareness and research for endometriosis is improving.
The Australian government announced a $49.1 million investment into endometriosis in May 2024; Endometriosis Australia and similar organisations are fighting for more research and better outcomes for patients; decades of stigma and silence around the illness are slowly coming to an end.
But there’s still a long way to go.
Getting an endometriosis diagnosis in Australia takes, on average, 6.5 years and many women struggle to have their reproductive health taken seriously. 
“We are moving forward. Of course, it is a slow journey, but the progression, you know, we are moving every day,” Watkins says.
For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
While she’s grateful for the “amazing advice” she received from her healthcare team, Watkins believes her experience during that first ultrasound appointment would have been very different had she been more informed.
“At that point I just probably didn’t understand what my options were,” she explains.
It’s her genuine hope that when another woman finds herself at a similar appointment, being handed a brochure about endometriosis, she is better equipped to handle it. 
“Wouldn’t it be amazing for people, and particularly women and children, to have that information earlier on?
“I can’t remember ever knowing much about it at all before I was diagnosed.”
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.