Bransgore woman Susan Barton, bedridden for a year with endometriosis, set to run London Marathon
AN actor who was bedridden for a year with an agonising case of endometriosis is preparing to run the London Marathon to raise awareness of the condition.
Susan Barton, from Bransgore, was often left unable to stand because of the pain she suffered from the illness which causes tissue similar to the lining of the womb to grow in other places such as the ovary and fallopian tubes.
She said: “I had to lie in bed with a hot water bottle for most of the day. I was only 25 but I was virtually bedridden. It was very hard to take, physically and mentally.”
Susan believed she suffered from endometriosis since a teenager but, as is common with many women, it had not been picked up despite being the second most common gynaecological condition in the UK, affecting 1.5-million females.
She said: “I suffered terribly as a teenager but the doctor would say, ‘It’s only bad period pain’ and advise me to take paracetamol. No investigation was carried out.
“This is a common theme with sufferers and is one of the reasons why I am running the London Marathon for Endometriosis UK, a charity that campaigns for better research into the condition and better treatment for sufferers.
“Women need to be aware of the symptoms and there needs to be earlier referral to specialists. Otherwise, they face years of agony.”
Susan’s condition was finally discovered after she collapsed twice in 2020.
The first time the pain was so bad she called an ambulance.
After the second, she went to see her doctor but it was not until April 2021 she was eventually diagnosed.
She said: “An ultrasound revealed a large cyst on one ovary and, during surgery to remove it, I was found to have stage-two endometriosis on my bladder, bowel and on the back of my womb.”
Susan was given a contraceptive coil which releases hormones to help with the condition, which is incurable.
As she was recovering from her surgery Susan said she felt she wanted a challenge to focus on and decided “on a whim” to enter the ballot for the London Marathon.
She said: “I couldn’t believe it when I got in. I immediately contacted Endometriosis UK to ask if I could run for them.”
Training has been difficult at times, she admits, saying: “I’ve had days when I’ve hardly been able to run at all as, apart from pain, the condition also causes fatigue.
“But recently I managed 30km. I am determined to take part. I am hoping that by doing so I can help other women.”
