Heavy/Getty Bindi Irwin
“Dancing With the Stars” Mirrorball champion and wildlife activist Bindi Irwin opened up about her ten-year struggle with pain due to endometriosis in an emotional Instagram post on March 7, 2023.
In the post, Irwin shared that she originally wasn’t sure if she wanted to share the information about her surgery but decided she needed to. Before being diagnosed with endometriosis, Irwin says her symptoms included nausea, pain, and fatigue. She added that a doctor told her that her symptoms were happening simply because she was a woman, but she went on to find a doctor who would help her.
” I decided to undergo surgery for endometriosis,” Irwin wrote. “Going in for surgery was scary but I knew I couldn’t live like I was. Every part of my life was getting torn apart because of the pain. To cut a long story short, they found 37 lesions, some very deep & difficult to remove, & a chocolate cyst.”
She added a thank you to her friends, family, and the doctors who helped her.
“I’m on the road to recovery & the gratitude I feel is overwhelming,” Irwin wrote. “To those questioning the canceled plans, unanswered messages & absence – I had been pouring every ounce of the energy I had left into our daughter & family.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, endometriosis is a painful disorder where tissue that is usually inside the uterus grows outside the uterus. The disorder can also involve the uterus and result in severe pain and fertility problems.
Bindi Irwin Encouraged People to Stop Asking Women When They’ll Have Children
In the heartfelt Instagram post, Irwin encouraged her followers to stop asking women when they’re having children or having more children. Irwin and her husband, Chandler Powell, welcomed their daughter, Grace Warrior, in 2021.
“Things may look fine on the outside looking in through the window of someone’s life, however, that is not always the case,” she wrote in the Instagram post. “Please be gentle & pause before asking me (or any woman) when we’ll be having more children. After all that my body has gone through, I feel tremendously grateful that we have our gorgeous daughter. She feels like our family’s miracle.”
The “Crikey! It’s the Irwins” star hopes to end the stigma around endometriosis and encouraged her followers to “keep searching for answers” and assured them that their pain is real.
Bindi Irwin’s Brother & Husband Shared Their Support
Bindi Irwin is very close to her brother, Robert, and he shared support for her after she posted about the surgery. In his Instagram post, Robert wrote that he’s proud of Bindi for sharing her story.
“Endometriosis is a horrible, crippling disease and too many women endure this in silence, or are never even diagnosed,” he wrote. “Bindi, your story of resilience is a beacon for women around the world who are suffering – and it’s a wake up call for men too. It’s *everyone’s* responsibility to be allies for womens health and help spread awareness.”
Bindi commented, “Thank you for being the best brother. For always being there. Love you so much.”
In Powell’s post, he called Irwin an inspiration.
“he greatest gift of all is knowing that you’re out the other side of surgery totally free of endometriosis. I cannot wait to embark on this new chapter of life with you,” he wrote.