RTÉ 2fm host Tracy Clifford has opened up about her battle with fertility, and how it has “taken over” her life.
The radio star first shared her struggles with endometriosis in an interview with the RTÉ Guide, as she got candid about her struggle to conceive with her longterm partner Mark.
Tracy, who is in her 40s, has said that she hopes her honesty on the topic makes others feel more comfortable sharing their fertility journey.
Tracy wrote in a post on Instagram: “I had no intention of telling Janice from the @rteguide about the expedition that we have been trudging through the past 4 years. None at all. But somedays you just can’t fake it.”
“Anyone going through fertility issues knows how much it takes over your life; your well being, your relationship and how much effort it takes each day to face the world.”
“It’s a full time job navigating through the swamp of tests needles appointments etc etc and if I’m honest I never ever wanted to talk about it. To anyone really. Because it’s shit. And maybe because I’m not brave enough to go into detail.”
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She continued: “However, I’ve learned so much from people sharing their experiences on here, online and elsewhere over the years so I’m going to share what I’ve learned; in the hope that it might help someone else.”
In a series of photos posted, she shared her reality her with 21k followers, writing: “I have stage 3 silent endometriosis.
“Those internal adhesions left untreated and undiagnosed would in time no doubt cause other problems to the working of my other organs too as well as fertility problems.”
In her interview with the RTÉ Guide last week, the radio host revealed she didn’t even know she had issues with fertility until she began to try for a baby.
The presenter shared: “Silent endometriosis sees sufferers have tissue similar to the lining of the uterus growing in other areas but with none of the characteristic symptoms of endometriosis, such as pain.”
“Because there is a lack of symptoms, this means women may not receive a diagnosis for many years, I wasn’t in any pain with it, no symptoms that I was aware of.”
“Endometriosis affects 1 in ten women in Ireland, ONE IN TEN. And that’s not counting the ones who don’t even know they have it, like me.”
“Women I know have been fobbed of by GP’s time and time again and told it’s ‘just period pain’.”
“Period pain shouldn’t take its toll on your quality of life, your mental health, your career, your finances and much much more.”
Tracy called out for a national campaign to raise awareness for “Endometriosis, Adenmyosis and the silent cases.”
She said: “Awareness and early detection and diagnosis is vital.”
“We need to make sure that the framework announced by the health minister this year actually puts women first, is properly financed and not just lip service.”
