22-YEAR-OLD Erica O’Donoghue has been in severe pain since she was 13 and for years was told it was “all in her head”.
She has seen numerous specialists about a crippling pain associated with her periods and is now in constant distress.
Scans have since shown her ovaries and bowel are attached to her womb, in what doctors call the “chewing gum effect”. She has 42 cysts on her ovaries, which are ‘trapped’ – meaning she may not be able to have children.
“I was sent to counselling at the age 17 where they had to told me it was all due to anxiety. I was sent for multiple of tests where it came back to say I had a gluten free intolerance that that is what the cause all of this,” Erica, from Limerick City, says.
“I’ve seen three gynaecologists the last six months, who had sent me home with opioid pain killers.”
She says her pain is so that “I barely know what day it is and what is happening around me, (I’m) in a total haze and still have no relief from my pains”.
Erica says a gynaecologist promised her in December that she would be called for surgery in February or March of 2026.
Upon calling for an update, she says she was told that “all elective surgeries have been ‘cancelled’ and that I’d be waiting another year”.
Through the HSE’s cross‑border scheme, Erica has been offered the chance to have the surgery she urgently needs in Madrid this March, but has to pay upfront €15,000, which will later be reimbursed, and up to €6,000 for flights, accommodation, and transport for the 14 days she will be there.
The Limerick woman says doesn’t have anything like that amount, but is due to fly out for surgery on March 14.
She has now called on her community for help through a fundraising page set up on gofundme.com/get-endometriosis-and-adenomoysis-surgery.
“After the surgery, when the HSE refund the costs, I’ll be donating any excess money after loans to Crumlin children’s hospital, a charity researching this condition, or both,” Erica told the Limerick Post.