Though just 23 years old, Rachel Ratelle already knows firsthand how life-changing endometriosis can be. That’s why she’s taken it upon herself to host a fundraiser in her hometown of San Diego this month to raise money for EndoFound.
“As I was going through the long process of being diagnosed, I was made blatantly aware of how under-researched, underfunded, and under-represented women’s health is,” Ratelle said. “I vowed to myself to make a positive impact in the healthcare community any way I could.”
The “Rays Your Vibe” Endometriosis Awareness Walk will be at 9 A.M. on Saturday, March 22, at NTC Park near Liberty Station in San Diego. The free event will feature a 1.5-mile walk, music, food from local restaurants, and raffles. Donations will be accepted.
“The goal is to spread as much awareness as possible and get the conversation going,” Ratelle said. “Talking about things like this is taboo. I want to eliminate that. We’re all human, and we’re all struggling. Let’s talk about our struggles and help each other out.”
Ratelle’s symptoms started when she was a freshman in high school.
“They presented themselves in a variety of ways,” Ratelle said. “I had painful periods, cramps, and a lot of GI issues. I went to a lot of doctors, but none of them could figure out what was wrong with me. OBGYNs turned me away, saying it was just part of being a woman. Gastrointestinal doctors told me it was IBS and nothing to worry about. Some doctors told me to go on the pill. Others told me to take Advil.”
When Ratelle was a junior in high school, naturopathic doctors suggested she take supplements and eliminate gluten and dairy. Those diet changes helped for a few years, but Ratelle eventually realized they’d served as nothing more than masks to a significant underlying issue.
“College was rough,” she said. “The symptoms returned, and I missed a lot of exams and classes. I had to go through the dean to get disability approval so that I could stand up in the back of class, run to the bathroom if I needed to, or get driven around in one of the campus golf carts if I were in too much pain to walk. I had managers in the jobs I worked who didn’t believe I was sick. Dating and socializing were really, really difficult because my symptoms were always unpredictable. A lot of people I was friends with didn’t know how to handle my situation or how to support me.”
Ratelle played for a semi-pro soccer team in college, including her final season two years ago in severe pain. When it ended, she lost a lot of weight quickly, couldn’t eat anything without getting sick, and couldn’t get out of bed.
“I knew I really needed help,” she said.
Ratelle underwent numerous tests, but they didn’t show anything wrong. That’s when Ratelle took matters into her own hands and researched what she might have.
“I was on Google and social media and found an influencer named Mik Zazon who’d posted about her endometriosis, the symptoms she had, how she got diagnosed, and her course of action,” Ratelle said. “I knew 100 percent that that’s what I had.”
In November 2023, Ratelle took her findings to a new OBGYN, who agreed that endometriosis was likely the cause of her pain.
“I left that appointment crying tears of joy,” Ratelle said. “Someone was finally listening to my story and not writing me off.”
She had excision surgery in January 2024.
“They found endo that was between stages three and four and said it was the worst case they’d ever seen in someone my age,” Ratelle said. “They found it on my bowel, colon, rectum, both ovaries, uterus, and pelvis.”
Ratelle felt okay for a while, but her symptoms have returned.
“I’m managing them the best I can until we figure this out,” she said. “It’s definitely a struggle. Endometriosis is a confusing disease.”
Hosting a fundraiser was in the back of Ratelle’s mind last year, but she held off after having surgery. And though she’s struggling today, she’s decided she can’t put off the event any longer.
“I’m just determined to make a difference,” she said. “I want people to know about this disease, to advocate for themselves, to do their research, to find a support community through social media, and not to be afraid to ask for help. You’ll have a lot of people who don’t understand what you’re going through or don’t want to help, but just because they don’t get it doesn’t mean you should stop. Share your story, and feel empowered doing it.”
To learn more about Ratelle’s fundraiser and her story, visit www.raysyourvibe.com.
*Patient stories submitted to EndoFound.org are the patient's views, not necessarily those of the foundation. All testimonials are from real patients, may not reflect the typical patient’s experience, and are not intended to represent or guarantee that anyone will achieve the same or similar results.
