Dublin woman Robyn Murray has co-created a community for those living with endometriosis called ‘Her Voice Project’.
If you’ve been in Dublin’s City Centre in recent months, you may have spotted the various billboards and screens around with the words ‘I have endometriosis. Believe my pain’ written over powerful imagery of women showing their endometriosis scars. The campaign is the brainchild of Robyn Murray and Lisa Walsh who founded ‘Her Voice Project’, a community for those with and in the process of being diagnosed with endometriosis.
Chatting with us about why she started the project after her own diagnosis, Robyn shares why the community can be a lifeline for the many people living with the condition and what needs to change in Ireland to improve the lives of those with endometriosis.
Firstly, tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m Robyn Murray Im from Dublin, married & mam to 2 girls and the co founder of Her Voice Project with Lisa Walsh. I work in the social media world, but outside of work my love has become improving the lives of women living with endometriosis and giving them a platform.
My passion comes from lived experience. After years of debilitating symptoms, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 endometriosis with bowel involvement and Adenomyosis. I had a hysterectomy at 35 for my Adenomyosis. Like so many women, I spent years searching for answers, questioning myself, and feeling lost. Those experiences changed me, and I realised that if my voice could help another woman feel less alone or get diagnosed sooner, then speaking out was worth it. That’s when I met Lisa through her Instagram support page at the time, ‘Eire Emerald’. Lisa also wanted to change the narrative.
Tell me about ‘Her Voice Project’ – what lead you to set it up?
Her Voice Project was born out of frustration and hope. After my diagnosis, I discovered that so many women were living the same story – years of pain, delayed diagnosis, being told their symptoms were normal, and often feeling dismissed by the healthcare system.
Myself and Lisa didnt want women to feel as isolated as we had. Together when we created Her Voice Project in September 2024 our aim was to build a community where women could share their experiences openly, support one another, and challenge for change. We wanted to create a space where women’s stories were heard. We didnt ever imagine we would have over 20,000 women worldwide following along. Every story shared has the power to educate and remind another woman that she isn’t imagining her pain. We put patients at the front.
What is ‘Her Voice Project’s’ aim?
Our aim is simple – to ensure no woman feels alone. Living with endometriosis can be incredibly isolating. We want women to know there are people who understand exactly what they’re going through. We fundraise to send care packages to anyone heading for surgery and hope to expand this to surgery abroad supports.
I am planning on facing my fear of heights and completing a sky dive to raise funds and more awareness. Ultimately, our goal is women are believed the first time they ask for help not the tenth.
Endometriosis is such an underfunded and under considered condition in Ireland, yet it affects so many women. Why do you think that is?
Historically, women’s pain hasn’t been given the same attention as many other health conditions. For years we’ve been told painful periods are part of being a woman, so symptoms become normalised. Debilitating painful periods are not normal. It might not be Endometriosis but its need to be investigated.
There has also been a lack of investment in research, specialist training, and dedicated endometriosis services. When awareness is low among the public and healthcare professionals, diagnosis is delayed and women continue to suffer in silence. The encouraging thing is that conversations are changing. More women are speaking out, more healthcare professionals are recognising the condition, and awareness is growing. But awareness alone isn’t enough it has to be matched with investment, education, and access to specialist care.
Why is providing this community so important to you?
Because I know what it feels like to think you’re alone. When you’re in constant pain and repeatedly told everything looks normal, you begin to question yourself. I know I did.
Having a community that says, I believe you and I see you is incredibly comforting. Social media often is the highlight reel but Lisa and I break that barrier and show the good and the bad days. Its refreshing to open Instagram or Facebook and see pages dedicated to “influencing” women for the right reasons.
What changes would you like to see in endometriosis care and diagnosis in Ireland?
We would love to see earlier diagnosis through better education for GPs and healthcare professionals. We were lucky enough to partner with the amazing MicroMedia to launch Irelands first Endometriosis awareness campaign.
While a doctor with a special interest in Endometriosis is great it doesn’t mean they are an Endometriosis specialist and I think it’s really important to make that distinction too. We also need increased investment in research so we can better understand the disease and improve treatments.
Lastly an area that’s overlooked is imaging. While laparoscopy remains the gold standard for diagnosis, specialist ultrasound and MRI can identify deep infiltrating endometriosis in many cases when performed by experienced clinicians. In Ireland we have heard so many stories of missed Endometriosis on imaging only for patients to later find out they did have Endometriosis, this needs to change.
What advice do you have for those living with the condition?
Firstly, trust yourself.
If you know something isn’t right, keep asking questions. You know your own body better than anyone else. If you cant find your voice that’s ok it’s hard, so bring somebody with you to appointments to be your strength.
Secondly, don’t underestimate the importance of finding support whether that’s through family, friends, healthcare professionals, or communities like Her Voice Project and many others. Living with endometriosis can be emotionally draining as well as physically exhausting.
Finally, don’t lose hope. Progress is happening. Slowly but it is. More people are talking about endometriosis than ever before, and every woman who shares her story is helping create change for the next generation.You deserve to be heard, believed, and treated.
I was fortunate to finally receive a diagnosis after 10 years of not being believed, but I also experienced first hand the limitations of the system. I travelled for specialist multidisciplinary care abroad in May to The Bucharest Endometriosis Centre because the expertise I needed is not available here. No woman should have to leave her country to receive the care she deserves.
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