Natalie (Nat), founder of Smidge Suncare, was diagnosed with endometriosis at the age of 27, seven years ago, marking the beginning of a journey that would change her life.
Nat describes her story as not unique. Her symptoms began when she was just 13.
“I was sent home time and time again without answers. I missed school, missed work, missed opportunities. Over time, the constant pain and uncertainty changed the direction of my life. My marriage broke down. I felt broken.”
For years, Nat was treated for everything except endometriosis. “When I was 15, I was prescribed strong painkillers and muscle relaxants for painful periods. I was told to cut out gluten and dairy. I drank slippery elm, kefir, and took expensive probiotics. I bought specialty flours and spices and baked my own bread. I spent thousands of dollars trying elimination diets, treatments, and “gut healing” protocols,” Nat explains.
“I once collapsed on the floor of an emergency department in Greece. I woke up in a bed in the hallway and was left there for 24 hours before discharging myself.”
Nat struggled through her 9-5 workload, managing Conservation Volunteers New Zealand in Wellington, and completing a degree in Te Reo Māori, while navigating debilitating pain. “I yelled in agony while driving home from work. I dug my fingers into my abdomen during university exams trying to counter the cramps. I held a bucket while vomiting from violent diarrhoea after drinking a “detox” recommended to me. I sobbed in the car after a gastroenterologist told me that my results were normal and that I’d “probably feel better” after the pre-surgery prep.”
“I took weeks off work — unpaid. I couldn’t attend social events. For a long time, I blamed my body. “Nat, you do too much,” people would say. I’d respond internally to my body: “You don’t do enough.” Enough to let me live the life I wanted.”
Everything shifted for Nat when she first heard another woman share her endometriosis diagnosis.
During Nat’s surgery, endometriosis had been found near her bowel — explaining years of “IBS” symptoms. For the first time, something clicked.
“Soon after, my gastroenterologist, Simon McDowell, scheduled a laparoscopic surgery. Post-surgery, he sat me down and explained that recovery needed to be holistic. Surgery was one piece — not the whole answer. I consider myself one of the lucky ones. My treatment plan included pelvic physiotherapy, a chronic pain recovery app, and stress management. I was finally supported to understand my nervous system, my inflammation triggers, and the way chronic pain reshapes the brain.”
Nat describes herself now as happy and healthy while running her business, Smidge Suncare. “I manage my symptoms effectively. I have tools. I have knowledge. I have support — including the resources provided by Endometriosis New Zealand.”
“Endometriosis taught me to advocate for myself, and it has changed my life for the better.”
Smidge Suncare is a proud sponsor of Endometriosis Awareness Month. To learn more about the social enterprise that makes skin and sun care simple, gentle on skin, and big on impact, visit their website here.