Coronation Street actress Kate Ford was forced to cancel all plans on Monday due to the extreme pain she was experiencing due to endometriosis. The 41-year-old, who has spoken openly about her experiences with the health condition in the past, sympathised with fellow sufferers in a tweet shared with her 121,000 sufferers.
"To all those other women suffering from #endometriosis I feel your pain. All plans cancelled for today and I'm off to bed," she said. The tweet was soon met with sympathetic messages from fans, many of whom could relate.
© Photo: TwitterKate Ford revealed she had to cancel plans due to endometriosis
One replied: "Literally my life! So glad that someone speaks openly about it, seems a bit of a taboo subject at times." Another agreed: "Feel your pain! It's a horrible condition to live with."
MORE: What is endometriosis? All you need to know about the symptoms and treatment
Kate first revealed she has endometriosis in January 2017, choosing to go public with her news after US singer Halsey underwent surgery for the condition. Sharing a link to an article about the star's recent operation, Kate commented: "I suffer from this, it's not easy."
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Coronation Street star said living with the condition is "not easy"
Endometriosis affects an estimated 1.5 million women in the UK, yet it still often goes unrecognised, taking an average of 7.5 years for women to get a diagnosis from their GP. The condition means that cells like those in the lining of the womb are found elsewhere in the body, and react in the same way, building up and then breaking down and bleeding. However, unlike the cells in the womb that leave the body as a period, this blood has no way to escape. The chronic and debilitating condition can affect all women and girls of a childbearing age, and may lead to infertility, fatigue and bowel or bladder problems.
STORY: Kate Ford reveals endometriosis battle
Other celebrities who have shared their experiences with endometriosis include Daisy Ridley and Lena Dunham, who underwent a hysterectomy earlier this year to alleviate her symptoms.
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