EMMA BARNETT TO FRONT NEW BBC DOCUMENTARY ON ENDOMETRIOSIS

Endometriosis is a life-long disease affecting one in ten women of reproductive age in the UK, which causes excruciating, often debilitating, pain. It is as common as diabetes but receives a fraction of the research funding. In this groundbreaking film for BBC Two and iPlayer, broadcaster and journalist Emma Barnett shares her personal struggle with the condition.

Behind the scenes Emma is struggling. Inside her body rogue cells like the lining of the womb mysteriously appear on her other organs, creating lesions, which bleed, scar and cause inflammation. There is no cure.

With access to specialist treatment centres across the UK, we see women go through surgery and fertility treatment and making life-changing decisions about their health. Emma presses doctors and scientists on why we know so little about the condition, asking what hope there is for the future.

Emma Barnett says: “Making this film has been one of the most important personal and professional projects of my life - the BBC's first feature-length film on endometriosis.

“It's staggering to me that more than 1.5 million women in Britain are trying to live their lives as best as they can while endometriosis, a condition that has flummoxed doctors and researchers the world over, wreaks total havoc. It took me 20 years to be diagnosed with it aged 31 - the average diagnosis time is now 9 years and going up.

“There is no cure for endometriosis, no specific treatment pathway and doctors still don't know what causes it.

“I hope this film inspires a generation of researchers to finally unlock the mystery that is endometriosis and helps women and their families proudly see themselves and all they achieve despite this cruel disease. Simply living with it is unbelievably difficult."

Emma Barnett: Endometriosis (w/t), a 1x60 for BBC Two and iPlayer is made by Raw. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual. The Executive Producer is Liesel Evans and Director is Rachel Lob-levyt. The Commissioning Editor is Tom Coveney, BBC Head of Science.