Oldham women bare all for endometriosis awareness campaign

Rhiannon Armstrong, a 21-year-old student, and Sophie May Heald, 31, a dog walker and house sitter from Saddleworth, have taken part in a project called Endomorphosis this Endometriosis Action Month.

It hopes to raise awareness of the condition and the impact it has on the lives of more than 1.5 million people in the UK.

Rhiannon herself is one of many women who struggle to get an official diagnosis, despite having many of the major symptoms of the condition.

She signed up to take part in the project run by Mossley's Cabasa Carnival Arts, which sees ten women from Greater Manchester who are living with endometriosis cover their bodies in paint.

All the women who took part live with endometriosis or have yet to be diagnosed (Image: Cabasa Carnival Arts)

Rhiannon said: "I got involved because I have never seen or heard of anyone wanting to raise awareness of endometriosis and I want to play a small part in that awareness.

"The disease causes me such severe pain I've been hospitalised, nearly needed blood transfusions and I've passed out.

"Seeing the pictures makes me weirdly grateful that I’m not alone but also sad that there are so many other people also suffering with endometriosis."

Rhiannon Armstrong (Image: Sara Teiger PR)

Sophie May, who has undergone hormone treatment to suppress her symptoms, said: "The pictures are amazing, and I feel really proud to have taken part in this project."

Emily Wood, 40, Cabasa's artistic director who also has endometriosis, said of the project: "By delivering this project myself as an artist and painting a group of women who have been on a similar journey and seeing them transform was even more powerful than I could have imagined.

"In these collaborative sessions, participants shared their experiences and explored how body painting could best represent them and their stories."

Sophie May Heald (Image: Sara Teiger PR)

Endometriosis causes cells similar to the ones in the lining of the womb to be found elsewhere in the body.

Each month these cells react in the same way to those in the womb, building up and then breaking down and bleeding, however, this blood has no way to escape and causes pain, scarring and inflammation.

Symptoms can include chronic pain, fatigue, painful intercourse and infertility.

Endomorphosis is at Gallery Oldham (Gallery 4) until March 25 and is free entry during opening hours which are 10am to 5pm from Tuesday to Saturday each week.