Leah Williamson & Bethany England: Championing Awareness for Endometriosis On and Off the Pitch
Freya Imani
Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women of all ages, with approximately 1.5 million impacted in the UK alone. Despite this, the underlying cause remains largely unknown to many.
The term endometriosis describes a chronic condition in which tissue, similar to the uterine lining, is growing outside the womb, causing numerous symptoms like intestinal trouble, heavy bleeding during periods, back problems, extreme pain during menstruation and even infertility in more severe cases. The treatment can lead from painkillers to surgery to remove tissue, but it differs from patient to patient. Even though there are treatment possibilities, the initial cause of the condition is unclear, and it cannot be prevented at the moment, as endometriosis is not fully understood yet. Both England captain Leah Williamson and Tottenham Hotspur player Bethany England are championing change in research and support for those who are affected, through talking about their own experiences.
After an odyssey of disappointing doctors' visits, Bethany England was finally diagnosed after eight years, following her transfer to Chelsea FC in 2016 where former coach Emma Hayes, who suffers from endometriosis herself, supported her in getting a more specialist care and even receiving the diagnosis in the end.
“You start thinking 'am I being a wimp about it', but it turns out there was something more severely wrong and I’m glad that I was in a position and was fortunate enough to get the help I needed at Chelsea, because without them I don’t know if I would ever properly be diagnosed. […] Emma was amazing, she was the one who pushed to have me tested. I don’t know that I would’ve had the money to go private. There’s nothing wrong with the NHS but I don’t think they were as forthcoming in trying to help me figure out what was wrong with me rather than just describe me some tablets.”
Beth England underwent surgery to remove the tissue and, for now, remains unaffected as it hasn’t returned. However, she still reflects on her time at Chelsea, recalling the agony she endured in the physio room while her teammates trained. In an interview with Sky Sports, she revealed that she'll never forget those difficult days that kept her from doing the job she loves. Endometriosis not only impacted her football career but also disrupted her everyday life. In one instance, she was rushed to the hospital by ambulance after collapsing in a supermarket, unable to stand or walk due to the intense pain. Yet, that wasn’t the only challenge she faced; the uncertainty surrounding her ability to have children weighed heavily on her mental health.
“The first thing that came out of my mouth was ‘would I ever have kids?’ […] My whole life I’ve wanted to have children, and for it, it really put into perspective that there’s was an issue with my ovaries and that this is going to affect me going forward to produce a family.”
Although she’s not significantly affected by the condition at the moment, she continues to use her voice to advocate for those still suffering from endometriosis. She is determined to break the stigma surrounding the issue and ensure that more young girls and women, who often face being dismissed by doctors, receive the support and care they need and deserve.
“My life has definitely changed since I’ve had the surgery and the coils fitted, it makes me not worry about it when I’m on a football pitch. […] I can focus on my football and do my job. It’s helped me in my day-to-day life knowing that even once a month I still get the same symptoms, the odd cramps, the back aches, the tiredness, it’s more of an awareness of managing it. […] There’s been so much research into nutrition and how that can help different phases of your cycle. I’ve been able to do a lot of research into that and I know what to give my body at different times when it needs it. The more education around that for girls – and even women going forward it will probably help them a lot.”
In addition to Bethany England, Lionesses captain and Arsenal star Leah Williamson has also shared her personal experience with endometriosis. After her diagnosis in 2021 she struggled with a lot of performance anxiety, leading up to the Euros in 2022, she was worried that her condition would jeopardise her participation in the tournament. This anxiety followed her throughout the tournament as well. Following a concussion sustained shortly before the tournament, Williamson’s concerns were heightened by an episode of particularly severe menstrual pain.
“I was like, it cannot happen [a flare-up during the Euros], like I actually won’t be able to play. […] I had a concussion which they say can impact your next period and it was bad – like, really bad. It felt like I needed to win for my club and my country, and if I felt that was under threat, I’d be a wreck. I’d have thoughts like: “Well when I retire, I won’t have to deal with these nerves, which is f*****! Like, I’m wishing away my career because I can’t deal with my own performance anxiety.”
After sessions with Arsenal and England psychologist Kate Green, she was able to cope with the performance anxiety and led the Lionesses to victory. Today, Williamson generally maintains her routine around her cycle, provided she’s not in significant pain, adopting a mindset of “Let’s get on with it—unless I’m on the floor.” However, like Bethany England, she remains dissatisfied with the level of support available to women affected by endometriosis.
“You get to a certain age when you actually say this is a real big f****** problem. I’m pretty sure if men had periods, we’d have figured out a way to stop them by now without doing any damage.”
It is important that women suffering from endometriosis like Leah Williamson and Bethany England are speaking up, also from an athlete's point of view and take the first steps in championing a change for those struggling due to the chronic condition. Bethany England motivates those affected as well, to fight for the support and medical attention they need.
“My advice for others would be, if you have the resources to get checked I would definitely recommend it. Or if you feel like your doctor is pushing it aside a bit, be more demanding that you want answers because ultimately it’s your body, it’s your health and you should not be suffering because of it.”
Links:
Photo - https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/643944446734273677/
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/28/leah-williamson-reveals-endometriosis-led-to-fears-of-missing-games-at-euros#:~:text=The%20England%20women's%20football%20captain,in%20last%20summer's%20European%20Championship.
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12775577/leah-williamson-england-captain-reveals-endometriosis-flare-up-nearly-resulted-in-her-missing-lionesses-euro-2022-glory
https://www.eurosport.com/football/barclays-wsl/2022-2023/leah-williamson-reveals-endometriosis-struggles-and-pressure-of-leading-england-this-is-a-really-big_sto9291530/story.shtml
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13087746/bethany-england-spurs-and-lionesses-forward-i-was-told-i-had-endometriosis-i-asked-can-i-have-children#:~:text=She%20had%20endometriosis.&text=Endometriosis%20is%20a%20condition%20where,cramps%2C%20infertility%20or%20digestive%20problems.