Candid photograph of woman's Endometriosis scars displayed at prestigious portrait exhibition

'I want to make this disease visible'

Getty (iStockphoto)

A portrait depicting a young woman’s struggle with Endometriosis is one of the images on show at the prestigious Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize exhibition.

Georgie Wileman’s chosen photograph is of her scar-laden stomach and powerfully illustrates the debilitating nature of her condition, which has seen her undergo five keyhole surgeries.

While these operations may offer temporary relief, Wileman explained that her condition still leaves her in chronic pain that severely inhibits her lifestyle and often leaves her homebound.

(Georgie Wileman (Georgie Wileman)

“I wanted to try to put into images what the reality of this disease can look like,” Wileman explains on her website.

Due to a significant lack of research, Endometriosis is notoriously difficult to diagnose.

However, it is the second most common gynaecological condition in the UK and affects one in 10 women.

It occurs when tissue that behaves like the lining of the womb is found in other parts of the body and causes extreme fatigue, severe abdominal pain and in some cases, infertility.

While there is currently no cure for endometriosis, Wileman credits excision surgery as the "gold standard" treatment for sufferers such as herself - however, there is little known about the procedure and it is not currently available on the NHS.

The full 19-part photographic series features candid shots of Wileman curled up in bed and also shows her bloated stomach and her stained bedsheets.

The winning photograph, titled “2014-2017”, maps the scars from the five painful surgeries Wileman has undergone in the last few years.

The timeline title reflects the extent at which these surgeries dominated Wileman’s life for that three year period.

“The map of the last few years is not built around experiences, work achievements or anniversaries; merely the scars on my stomach and the dark spots of memory I try to push aside,” she said.

Wileman’s full series will be published by Lenny Letter in January, the weekly newsletter created by Lena Dunham and her Girls co-writer Jennifer Konner.

Dunham has previously spoken out about her personal struggles with endometriosis, which saw her undergo five surgeries in a year.

She recently revealed that she is now free from the condition.

Wileman hopes that her photographs will help raise awareness for the debilitating condition that affects 176 million women worldwide.

“With this project I want to make this disease visible. This is what it looks like. One in ten women of reproductive age have this, and we need to be seen.”