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Patient-Led Fibroid Advocate UK | Award-Winning Speaker

@dawn_heels

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1449

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16 fibroids removed.
Educating & campaigning for women with fibroids.
Founder @guidancesuite & @myfibroidjourneylive
Fibroid Policy⬇️

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

As Fibroid Awareness Month comes to a close, I’ve spent a lot of time listening.

Listening to patients. Listening to clinicians. Listening to the questions that keep coming up. One thing has become clear….

Awareness alone isn’t enough.

Too many women still don’t know all of their treatment options. They don’t know what questions to ask. They don’t know what support is available or where to find trusted, evidence-based information. That needs to change.

So today, I’m incredibly proud to announce that in 2027, @guidancesuite will launch the UK Fibroid Patient Conference in London. A national conference with one purpose: Giving patients the knowledge to make informed decisions about their care.

The conference will bring together leading experts to help patients better understand fibroid treatments, procedures, research, nutrition and the latest developments in care, all in one place.

Because every patient deserves a gold standard of care.

If you’re interested in speaking, exhibiting, sponsoring or supporting the conference, I’d love to hear from you.

Please register your interest by emailing dawn@dawnheels.com

More details will be shared over the coming months.

Finally, thank you to every patient, clinician, researcher, organisation and advocate who has helped make this Fibroid Awareness Month so impactful.

Let’s make sure the conversation doesn’t stop on 31 July.

#fibroids #fibroidawareness #fibroidcare #patienteducation #womenshealth by @dawn_heels

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3 months ago

At least two in three women will experience at least one fibroid in their lifetime.

I am two in three. But for me, I had eighteen fibroids, with the largest being the size of a grapefruit. Even after surgery, I still live with fibroids today.

Since sharing my story, one of my personal goals (which I have stated publicly on numerous occasions) has been to play a part in changing the way fibroids are managed and treated here in the UK.

Yesterday, I had the absolute honour of stepping into that space. As a patient-led advocate and campaigner, I sat at the table of a national roundtable at the @royalcollegeobsandgynae with medical professionals, policymakers and women all united to transform fibroid care.

Here is the shocking truth; Fibroids is the only gynaecological condition that tick every single box of poor care; delayed diagnosis, long waiting lists, inequality, etc… women are left to suffer. This is unacceptable and long overdue for change.

Collectively, we are working towards an RCOG backed policy that will create a proper screening and treatment pathway for fibroids in England. This will be a game changer for women’s health.

To come into that room as a patient advocate, carrying the voices of so many women I speak to on a daily basis, was humbling. I will not stop until women get the care they deserve.

A huge thank you to the powerhouse that is @dr_christine_ekechi for bringing this together and to everyone who contributed their expertise and passion in the room. This is only the beginning.

#fibroids #rcog #policy #womenshealth by @dawn_heels

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a year ago

GLORY BE TO GOD! For this child we have PRAYED!

God’s plan was always going to be bigger and better than my own. He has blessed myself and @dazzleuk with a beautiful daughter who has absolutely stolen our hearts; we are deeply in love, thankful and so blessed.

There was clearly beauty in the pain, suffering and struggle and little was I to know that the biggest blessing was just around the corner….

I shall be sharing my testimony in an upcoming reel.

This is also the reason that I’ve had a turn a few things down over the past few weeks, what with being heavily pregnant (and my little white lie about a holiday - sorry 🙏🏾).

Love to all of you 💕

Photographer:- @mellzphotographyltd

Make-up artist:- @yourhostlala

#lifeafterfibroids #fibroids #fibroidawareness #pregnancy #fibroidsandpregnancy #wecanwearwhite #womenshealth #blackwomenshealth #newmum #newmom by @dawn_heels

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4 years ago

THIS IS ALL WE WANT!

An actual management plan after being told we have fibroids!

Being given a diagnosis should be the start of a conversation about what happens next. Yet women tell me they leave appointments knowing they have fibroids but without a clear plan for managing them.

What are all my options? What happens if my symptoms get worse? When will my care be reviewed? Who can I contact?

One step towards improving care is the @the.rcog planned development of a new guideline specifically on fibroids. Guidelines help clinicians make decisions using the available evidence and support more consistent care, while allowing for each patient’s symptoms, circumstances and wishes.

Through my patient advocacy work, I’m continuing to push for a clear management plan to be part of that conversation. Women should understand what has been agreed and what happens next.

Were you given a management plan when you were diagnosed? Comment below.

#fibroids #rcog #fibroidawareness #patientadvocacy #womenshealth by @dawn_heels

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3 days ago

Feeling stuck with your fibroid care? Here are some practical questions to ask and steps you can take.

I encourage you to choose one step this week.

Save this for yourself or share it. You never know who may be trying to navigate fibroid care.

#fibroids #fibroidawareness #fibroidsupport #womenshealth #patientadvocacy by @dawn_heels

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6 days ago

Thoughts on a Sunday. But we need action every day.

Women with fibroids deserve to be listened to, understand their options and access the care they need.

What would you add? Comment below.

#Fibroids #fibroidawareness #womenshealth #patientvoices #listentowomen by @dawn_heels

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7 days ago

This year has been a very busy one for the fibroid community. Some of the barriers are beginning to shift, with more focus on fibroid care and putting patients at the forefront.

However, there is still a very, very long way to go. This is just the beginning.

I feel it is part of my job to keep reiterating what patients need. And throughout the work I do in the community, I am also a patient myself.

Women need clear information, timely care and a management plan. We need to know what happens next and when.

After your fibroid diagnosis, were you given a clear management plan, or were you left wondering what happens next? Comment below.

#fibroids #fibroidcare #nhs #uterinefibroids by @dawn_heels

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9 days ago

Imagine going to a doctor for help and hearing one of these things.

These are words women have told me, directly in my DMs, that were said to them when seeking help for fibroids and their symptoms!

To be spoken to like this when you are already struggling, can leave you questioning whether you should have asked for help at all. Nobody should leave a consultation feeling that their suffering does not matter.

But I also want you to know that there are doctors who care and take the time to listen. We have helped women who shared these experiences find their way to those doctors. Through my advocacy and @guidancesuite, we continue to signpost women towards clinicians across the country who take their concerns seriously.

If you have been spoken to like this, you were right to ask for help. A dismissive consultation does not mean there is no help available to you.

What’s the worse thing that has been said to you? Comment below.

#fibroids #fibroidawareness #womenshealth #patientadvocacy theguidancesuite by @dawn_heels

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13 days ago

You guys enjoyed the last board I made, inspired by the awareness boards we see from @allontheboard so here’s another one.

I have asked them before to create a board for fibroids, particularly around Fibroid Awareness Month. We wait patiently for them to do so.

Public boards are a great way to catch the attention of people who may not otherwise come across this information in their everyday lives. Sometimes stopping to read a few lines can open your eyes to something you knew very little about.

In the words of @mangothefilm, this really is a wicked disease, affecting so many. Yet we seem to have to fight harder to be heard, for management plans to be put in place and for women to be helped in their suffering.

We are trying to make change. Simple things like this can help start conversations, raise awareness and make that change happen.

Wishing you a blessed new month. As always my DMs are open if you ever need support.❤️

#fibroidawareness #fibroidfacts #womenshealth #fibroids #theguidancesuite by @dawn_heels

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17 days ago

Women’s health deserves to be heard, understood and prioritised.

We were proud to bring together leading experts at the Royal College of Surgeons of England in London for a special event dedicated to endometriosis and women’s health awareness.

The event welcomed Prof. Dr. Ertan Saridogan, Prof. Dr. Taner Usta, Dawn Heels, Jemma Bowls and Sanju Pal, creating an important space for medical expertise, meaningful conversations and greater awareness around a condition that affects the lives of so many women.

Beyond sharing knowledge, our goal was clear: to encourage greater awareness, earlier recognition and more open conversations about women’s health and endometriosis.

A special congratulations and thank you to the entire Acıbadem London team for the dedication, teamwork and effort behind making this event possible.

Together, we continue to create opportunities where expertise meets awareness — and where women’s health receives the attention it deserves. by @dawn_heels

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18 days ago

Understanding what’s happening in your body can help you feel more confident asking questions about your care.

Last Saturday, I spoke about fibroids at Acibadem’s Women’s Health Seminar at the Royal College of Surgeons in London, weaving my own journey into the conversation.

Alongside informative talks from Professor Taner Usta and Professor Ertan Saridogan, we explored symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options for fibroids and endometriosis.

It was lovely meeting the women who joined us. Thank you for being so engaged and sharing your experiences.

Congratulations to the wonderful Merve Sarigul for bringing it all together.

You deserve information you can understand and a voice in decisions about your care.

#fibroids #endometriosis #womenshealth by @dawn_heels

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18 days ago

One minute, she looks fine. The next, she isn’t.

Many people living with fibroids put on a brave face and carry on while dealing with pain behind the scenes. When others finally see what’s happening, they can be shocked by how much has been going on silently. Being dismissed, whether by people around you or by a medical professional, can make it even harder to speak up.

This is one reality of living with fibroids. Please remember that everyone’s experience is different.

Thank you @chefcynthiaos for being brave enough to share part of your story.

Please remember that help is available. If you feel unheard or dismissed, you can ask for a second opinion.

Video credit:- @chefcynthiaos

#fibroids #livingwithfibroids #fibroidawareness #womenshealth #patientadvocay by @dawn_heels

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19 days ago