(WJW) — Bindi Irwin, the beloved daughter of the late Steve Irwin, says that for years she’s lived with severe pain.
Tuesday, the Australian reality TV star came clean about her struggle with endometriosis and how she recently had surgery to remove lesions from her ovaries. Taking to social media, Bindi said she wasn’t sure if she wanted to share her medical issues so publicly but ultimately decided other women needed to know they weren’t alone.
“For 10yrs I’ve struggled with insurmountable fatigue, pain & nausea,” she said in a Twitter post. “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. I decided to undergo surgery for endometriosis.”
Bindi Irwin poses for a photo with fiance Chandler Powell at the annual Steve Irwin Gala Dinner at Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on November 09, 2019 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images) 
ULURU, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 2: Steve Irwin poses with his daughter Bindi Irwin October 2, 2006 in Uluru, Australia. (Photo by Australia Zoo via Getty Images) 
HOLLYWOOD, CA – APRIL 26: Bindi Irwin attends the ceremony honoring Steve Irwin with star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 26, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
The 24-year-old mother of one said that while it was terrifying to go under the knife, the pain was starting to seep into every aspect of her life.
“To cut a long story short,” she reported. “They found 37 lesions, some very deep & difficult to remove, & a chocolate cyst. @seckinmd‘s first words to me when I was in recovery were, ‘How did you live with this much pain?’ Validation for years of pain is indescribable.”
Bindi, who is married to Chandler Powell, said it’s a long road to recovery, and reminded everyone to be kind to one another.
“Things may look fine on the outside looking in through the window of someone’s life, however, that is not always the case,” she said. “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.”
Ending the post, Bindi said she knows millions of women around the world understand what she’s going through and that their pain is not made up.
Bindi joins a host of other celebrities who’ve opened up about their struggles with the often stigmatized disease.
