By the time she reached her 40s, Charlene McCullough from Prince George, B.C., had almost become accustomed to the nagging abdominal pain that had been with her since puberty. Initially dismissed as menstrual discomfort, her pain worsened over time, spreading to her hips, kidneys and stomach. 

After being sent to Vancouver for further tests, McCullough received a diagnosis: extreme endometriosis. “Since I was a teenager, my periods were debilitating,” she says. “No matter how many times I complained to doctors, I was told it was something I had to live with.”

McCullough was eventually referred to Dr. Nucelio Lemos, a pelvic surgeon and gynecologist at Mount Sinai Hospital. Dr. Lemos was certain he could remove the scar tissue laparoscopically, sparing her from major surgery. 

In 2020, McCullough flew to Toronto and underwent a 10 hour surgery. During the procedure, the team at Sinai Health was able to remove all the scar tissue to ensure it would not grow back.

“Too many women suffer in silence. Too often we’re dismissed. Without Sinai Health, I wouldn’t have the quality of life I have now.”

Charlene McCullough, Patient

Now living with her family in B.C., Charlene said it’s important for women everywhere to advocate for their health and keep pushing for a correct diagnosis and treatment plan for endometriosis.

“Too many women suffer in silence. Too often we’re dismissed,” McCullough says. “Without Sinai Health, I wouldn’t have the quality of life I have now.”