Bindi Irwin Underwent Surgery For Endometriosis After Enduring ‘Fatigue, Pain & Nausea' For 10 Years

Mar 09, 2023 by apost team

Bindi Irwin shared a serious health update in the hopes that it will inspire those going through similar struggles. In March 2023, she revealed she had been diagnosed with endometriosis after 10 years of enduring “insurmountable fatigue, pain & nausea” and had undergone surgery for it.

Bindi became a conservationist and television star in the spirit of her late father, Steve Irwin. Lifelong wildlife lover Steve rose to fame with the show “The Crocodile Hunter” in 1996 as its host alongside his wife. His enthusiastic and energetic manner won him a legion of fans, and viewers returned episode after episode to catch up with his lively and animated presenting style. Consistently clad in his signature khakis, the show made Irwin a household name and introduced his catchphrase “Crikey!” to the wider world. 

At the age of 9, Bindi hosted the children’s wildlife documentary “Bindi the Jungle Girl.” Although the show aired in 2007 after Steve’s death, he had filmed episodes of the show prior in which he, Terri and Bindi would take an up-close look at certain animals. She also made appearances in shows such as “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “Larry King Live” and was a contestant on “Dancing With The Stars” in 2015.

On March 25, 2020, Bindi married former professional wakeboarder Chandler Powell and, in keeping with the family's love for animals, the pair held their secret wedding in the gardens of Australia Zoo in Queensland. The ceremony even included a koala — not to mention a beautiful floral arrangement.

Bindi and Powell welcomed their first child Grace Warrior on March 25, 2021. Since then, the doting mom frequently updates her fans on her daughter’s milestones on social media. This time, however, she took to Instagram to detail a battle of her own with endometriosis. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, endometriosis is a disorder in which tissue similar to the tissue that usually lines the inside of your uterus grows outside it and can be extremely painful. When it involves the ovaries, cysts can form while “surrounding tissue can become irritated, eventually developing scar tissue and adhesions.”

On March 7, 2023, Bindi revealed on Instagram that she had been diagnosed with endometriosis. She was initially hesitant to make the news public but decided shedding light on her battle would do more good than harm.

“I battled for a long time wondering if I should share this journey with you in such a public space. It came down to the responsibility I feel to share my story for other women who need help,” she wrote.

“For 10yrs I’ve struggled with insurmountable fatigue, pain & nausea. Trying to remain a positive person & hide the pain has been a very long road. These last 10yrs have included many tests, doctors visits, scans, etc. A doctor told me it was simply something you deal with as a woman & I gave up entirely, trying to function through the pain. I didn’t find answers until a friend @lesliemosier helped set me on a path of regaining my life,” she added.

That path included undergoing surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital’s Seckin Endometriosis Center in New York City. 

“Going in for surgery was scary but I knew I couldn’t live like I was. Every part of my life was getting torn apart because of the pain. To cut a long story short, they found 37 lesions, some very deep & difficult to remove, & a chocolate cyst,” Bindi shared.

She added: “@seckinmd’s first words to me when I was in recovery were, 'How did you live with this much pain?'"

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For Bindi, relief from the pain was second only to the feeling of validation she received.

“Validation for years of pain is indescribable. My family & friends who have been on this journey with me for 10+ yrs – THANK YOU, for encouraging me to find answers when I thought I’d never climb out. Thank you to the doctors & nurses who believed my pain. I’m on the road to recovery & the gratitude I feel is overwhelming,” she wrote.

She urged readers to exercise compassion with people as you never know what they are going through.

“Things may look fine on the outside looking in through the window of someone’s life, however, that is not always the case. Please be gentle & pause before asking me (or any woman) when we’ll be having more children. After all that my body has gone through, I feel tremendously grateful that we have our gorgeous daughter. She feels like our family’s miracle,” she added.

In the comments, Bindi’s disclosure was lauded by personalities such as Selma Blair, Amy Schumer and Padma Lakshmi. Her brother, Robert Irwin, called her his hero for “having the bravery to share your journey with the world to help other women who are suffering.” Her husband called her the “strongest, toughest person I know.”

Lastly, in directing those fighting the same battle to the Endometriosis Foundation of America website, Bindi wrote: 

“I’m aware of millions of women struggling with a similar story. There’s stigma around this awful disease. I’m sharing my story for anyone who reads this & is quietly dealing with pain & no answers. Let this be your validation that your pain is real & you deserve help. Keep searching for answers.”

We’re sending all our good vibes to Bindi as she makes her recovery. Have you or anyone you know battled endometriosis or a similar condition? Let us know, and be sure to pass this on to family and friends as well.