By Sam

This stems back many, many years, about 15 – 20 or so I would say. When I met a young girl (at the time haha) called Kylie. Kylie and I spoke many a night especially over the internet and on the phone as we were in different cities, myself in Brisbane, Kylie in Melbourne.

During our conversations at some point she brought up that she had Endometriosis.” Endometriosis you say?…What the hell is that?”, I said. Me being me, had never heard of this problem and I am sure many if not most other men and maybe there is a few woman, had never heard of it. I set myself a little goal of trying to learn alittle more about this “thing” Kylie had. I tried to work stuff out and I must admit Kylie was never shy in telling me anything about it. I learnt a lot, more than most I guess. I am not saying I know everything about Endo but I know enough now, to know what it does, how if affects and what it costs women, families etc.

Now I must admit, I love Kylie as a best friend, a best friend that not many will ever have and no matter how many years have passed I think we both know that we will always be here for each other no matter what. Kylie is now engaged and I am super happy she found a lad that will take what she has seriously and still wants to be the one for her as she is an inspirational person.

Myself over the years became a little lack lustre with the world…I went through some hard times (as most do) and sort of fell to rock bottom, I was still playing soccer I was still doing a few things but only bare minimum. I hid from the world and I must admit I never wanted my friend to be burdened with my personal stuff as I knew she was going through far more than me. In the last two years I brought my life back from being in a lot of debt, I quit smoking and most of all I got back out and started enjoying life a healthier life.

Here I come to the point where I had been speaking to my pal again, thinking what I could do to help, as I knew the years had been full of operations, pain and cost, yet I see her still with her sense of humour and love of life(even if on the inside she isn’t feeling it). I also know that you Endo Sisters suffer more than I will ever know.

I started running every day and I do parkrun every Saturday, not being a competitive runner (only ever running 5km max) I thought hmmm….the Bridge to Brisbane 10km run is coming up maybe I can run my first ‘competitive’ 10km run and try to raise funds for Kylie and the other women who suffer from Endo everyday, I won’t win but that’s not why I am doing it.

I asked/told Kylie what I was thinking and I got the biggest thankyou I had heard in a few years, I said I would have to check whether I could raise for Endometriosis Australia. A few days later Kylie had done her home work and so had I as we both had the same answer yes I could run for Endo Aus.

SO here I am now training to try and do the fastest time I can on a 10km run ( I am going to make sure there is nothing left in the tank) and raise as much as I can for a Charity that I feel not many hear about and that’s what I am about. I have opened an Everyday Hero page and have set a high target for myself, hoping that a few people get behind me and this cause I have chosen.

It’s a great cause and the contact I have had with Endometriosis Australia, the people who run it are fantastic. I hope this little thing I am trying will at least put Endometriosis on peoples lips so they know about it.

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