A woman was diagnosed with an incurable condition while trying for a baby.
Lisa Ledder, 38, suffered a "deep cramp pain" in her tummy after she came off the contraceptive pill so she could get pregnant in her late 20s. She was "gobsmacked" and "confused" when, during a keyhole surgery to check her fallopian tubes for any blockages causing difficulty conceiving, her doctor at Arrowe Park Hospital found endometriosis tissue.
This tissue, similar to the lining of the womb, can grow as far from the uterus as the lungs and brain of the one in 10 women, trans men and non-binary people with endometriosis. One of the most painful conditions you can have, it causes heavy bleeding, obstruction to organs and fertility problems. Lisa, who was going for a promotion at the time, feared the disability would scupper her chances at progression in a career she describes as "her life".
READ MORE: Mum told she has cancer at 27 weeks pregnant after finding walnut-sized lump
The Merseyside Police officer had never heard of endometriosis, but now, all day every day, it was causing her "horrific pain" no over-the-counter pain killers could stop. A decade later, the incurable condition still makes Lisa lose her train of thought mid-sentence, and it causes lower back ache, pelvic pain, and fatigue leaving her napping once or twice a day. It may be an invisible disability, but its effects are often inescapable.
Lisa, who was up for promotion at the time, said: "I was really concerned that if I admitted I have this condition, and I took time off sick, that it would look bad on my CV and affect my opportunities for promotion. People's understanding and awareness have come on leaps and bounds in the last five years, but still now, people don't understand it. They just think it's a bad period, which in itself is horrific."
She told her line manager ahead of a second surgery to remove endometriosis tissue, because she knew her ability to wear body armour and a belt kit would be restricted during the recovery period. Lisa was able to do admin work before returning full time to the field.
But the condition, which takes an average of eight years to diagnose, has left Lisa with sudden bowel movements, and using hot water bottles during the day, and at times going to A&E in full uniform due to pain. Lisa said: "I'm in the middle of doing my job and I'm in that much pain my painkillers aren't working and I need to go to A&E for pain relief. But [Merseyside Police] themselves were great, my line manager at the time was good, but he didn't understand what the condition was."
Having an employer willing to learn and adapt to her health needs was crucial for allowing Lisa to keep doing the public order policing on match and race days, which she loves. Lisa "took it as a little one-woman crusade" to make others aware of the condition, saying she felt it was her duty as to let others know "their members of staff could be going through it".
Despite the condition being as common as asthma and diabetes, "all too often, talking about it remains a taboo", according to Endometriosis UK. A poll by the charity in March this year found three in five women aged 16 to 24, and more than half of those aged 25 to 34, would be concerned about telling their employer they're taking time off work due to period pain or chronic pelvic pain.
A spokesperson told the ECHO: "It's so important employers take the lead and don't shy away from conversations about menstrual health in the workplace. If employers want to retain a positive and thriving female workforce, menstrual health must be taken seriously. Simple adjustments can go a long way in supporting people with endometriosis at work, for example ensuring those with the disease have access to regular toilet breaks or providing flexible working options."
Lisa's efforts resulted in Merseyside Police becoming the first force in the country to sign up to Endometriosis UK's endometriosis-friendly employer scheme in December 2020. Organisations pay to sign up to the scheme, as part of which, the charity reviews their actions to support people with endometriosis, tackle stigma against it, and promote awareness.
Since then, 21 other police forces have joined the scheme, which also includes government departments, NHS trusts, charities and BBC Scotland. Lisa continues to work on gender equality, recently being elected to Merseyside Police's gender equality network.
Speaking of Merseyside Police joining the scheme, Lisa said: "I was absolutely chuffed with it, but what I'm more proud of now is the fact that, as a result of that, I've made friends in different forces and together we've set up the National Police Endometriosis Working Group. That invites members of every police force in the organisation to come together quarterly and share best practice."
Merseyside Police's Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Natalie Perischine said: "We recognise that Endometriosis can be incapacitating and by joining this scheme we wanted to help our officers and staff who are suffering from this condition.
"The wellbeing of our officers and staff is of paramount importance to us. We are keen to show our support to anyone suffering from this disease by providing them with an environment where they feel at ease talking about practical adjustments we can help them with that will make their time at work more comfortable.
"We have also recently launched a Wellbeing Passport to help our employees with health conditions, care commitments or religious observances that need some temporary adjustments to their work environment and may not want to have a face to face conversation about it every time they have a new line manager. By forging an understanding and flexible working environment, we hope we can create a happier and healthier workforce."
A spokesperson for Endometriosis UK said: "We're proud to be working with employers, including Merseyside Police, who have signed up to Endometriosis UK's 'Endometriosis Friendly Employer Scheme'. Endometriosis Friendly Employers commit to tackling the taboo around endometriosis, and developing a more supportive environment and culture for those with the disease."
For more information on how your organisation could sign up to the Scheme, visit: https://www.endometriosis-uk.org/endometriosis-friendly-employer-scheme
READ NEXT:
