This holiday season, BC Women’s Health Foundation is celebrating transformative moments created by the world-class care that patients across all stages of life have experienced at BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre (BCWH). Their stories embody the strength, resilience and hope across a diverse spectrum of experiences that were shaped at BCWH.
“The moment I no longer felt pain from endometriosis.”
– Kitt Penfold, BC Women’s Centre for Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis patient
Endometriosis affects one in 10 Canadians, yet the average diagnosis takes over five years. For Kitt Penfold, it took nearly 20 years before she was finally diagnosed with endometriosis.
As a young woman in a rural community in Manitoba, Katherine “Kitt” Penfold didn’t have easy access to medical care growing up. “I was the daughter of farmers and the nearest doctor, 45 minutes away, didn’t have the knowledge of these issues,” explains Kitt. As a result, her condition initially went without medical attention. “I didn’t get my first period until I was 18 or 19, and instantly the problems started. It started with an ovarian cyst that popped and I experienced the most blinding pain. My parents did take me to the doctor but no one did an ultrasound or did further investigating.”
Kitt’s problems continued into university. As she explains, “I was having serious issues mentally because of the progesterone/estrogen imbalance. My doctors were trying to keep my hormones balanced with medication, but things were just getting worse.” It wasn’t until she was 21 that she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Her condition continued to deteriorate, and in her early 30s, Kitt was bleeding uncontrollably during her irregular periods, dealing with overwhelming pain and cysts, which all led to greater mental health problems. Still, no one had discussed the possibility of endometriosis with her. Now living in BC, she finally saw a doctor who suggested an IUD to help with her fluctuating hormones. “Things were great for about eight months and then I just started bleeding constantly. I had terrible pain and was diagnosed with yet another condition – interstitial cystitis.” But even still, no one had connected her problems to endometriosis.
The downward spiral of Kitt’s health was causing problems in all aspects of her life; as a self-employed video producer, she needed to work for her livelihood. “By the end of 2021, I was going to the emergency room a couple of times a week because I was bleeding so heavily and I was in such pain. I remember crying and feeling like my life was over, knowing that I was losing my company. I didn’t know how I was going to pay rent or if I was going to be able to move the next day. My relationships were all affected. I couldn’t walk my dog. There was no end in sight. But then I was finally referred to the program at BC Women’s.”
The Centre for Pelvic Pain + Endometriosis at BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre saw Kitt within a few short months and her surgeon, Dr. Lee, suggested a laparoscopy, a surgical procedure to examine the organs of the abdomen and pelvis, to confirm endometriosis. Kitt was at the end of her rope, however, and explained that she had been asking for a hysterectomy for years because she couldn’t live with the constant bleeding and debilitating pain and other symptoms any longer. Through countless visits to emergency rooms and despite seeing many doctors, she was not able to convince doctors to proceed with a hysterectomy to put an end to her suffering and allow her to finally live a normal life. It all changed when she saw Dr. Lee. “Dr. Lee turned to me and said, ‘yes, OK, if that’s what you want to do, then that is what we’ll do.’ And that was it. Finally, I was heard. My surgery took place four months later.”
Kitt never looked back. As she said, “I can’t put into words the amount of emotion I felt around that. I felt total relief.” She collapsed in tears when she got the call to schedule her surgery, and from the moment she woke up from surgery, she realized for the first time in years she was going to be pain free. “When Dr. Lee came in, she told me that I had the most endometriosis of anyone she had ever seen. But the surgery was a success, and from that day forward, I have not had any pain.” That was over two years ago.
While the pain is gone, Kitt still lives with the grief of knowing she can never bear children. But more than anything, she’s grateful. “The grief will probably be a lifelong process, but I don’t regret anything. I would never change a thing about my decision and I will never stop thanking Dr. Lee. She’s my hero in every possible way for listening to me. I’ve dedicated my life to endometriosis awareness now, because there needs to be so much more advocacy for people going through the same situation.”
The Centre has been life-changing for Kitt in other ways as well. “You’re matched up with a counsellor and a physiotherapist to help you through the program. I learned how to move my body without that pain. And my counsellor helped me work on the issues endometriosis caused in my life. Their support has been invaluable. This program at BC Women’s has saved my life in so many ways, over and over again.”
Join us in our mission to create a healthier future and more life-changing moments for women, newborns and families in BC. Please donate now to BC Women’s Health Foundation’s BC Women’s Moments campaign, supporting the purchase of essential ultrasound technology for every stage of women’s lives.
