Meet Team Connecticut State Representative, Julie Campanaro McArthur

RISING STARS IN ENDOMETRIOSIS ACTIVISM SERIES

We are very excited to introduce Julie Campanaro McArthur, Founder of Endo Mom Strong. Julie is now on board to travel to the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford as State Representative for Endo Advocacy Day 2020. You can learn more about Julie below! If you would like to travel to your State Capitol to meet with elected officials as part of next year’s Endo Advocacy Day (Friday, March 27, 2020), just click here to schedule a phone appointment with one of our EndoMarch team members so that you can learn more. In the interim, you can click here to keep track of how many State Representatives we have on board already.

ABOUT JULIE C. MCARTHUR

Julie is among the millions of women who have suffered from endometriosis and who, through her Instagram account @endomomstrong, has decided to take her frustration with the medical community in this country and use it to give her a platform to help educate others. 

Julie was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2007 after going to different doctors for what was termed “unexplained pelvic pain” and told “many women just live with pelvic pain”. She had to beg for surgery because she could not accept that women just live with pain and that was OK with doctors. 

 Once Julie was diagnosed with endometriosis, she was told treatment was to be put into a drug induced menopause until she wanted to become pregnant and then have a hysterectomy once she was through having children. At 24 years old Julie had no idea what endometriosis was, nor did she even know if she wanted children. She knew, however, she needed to understand this disease and immediately immersed herself in learning as much as she could. At that time in 2007 the internet wasn’t what it is today and there were only about 2 books Julie could find on endometriosis.

She found a handful of endometriosis specialists in the United States who she contacted and they reviewed her history and educated her on the disease and on what is considered the gold standard treatment for endometriosis - excision surgery.

 Only a few months after being diagnosed through a laparoscopic surgery Julie chose to move forward with a 2nd surgery but this time with a specialist who performed excision surgery. This surgery was a success and the surgeon explained at a follow up appointment that women especially with endometriosis needed to focus on their diet and mindset. This was the first time a conventional doctor spoke to her in this way and “Julie being Julie” had to further her education.

 Julie became a Certified Health and Wellness Coach in 2009 and was focused especially on women’s health. She continued to live pain free after the 2007 excision surgery and had her first child naturally in 2012 and then a second child naturally in 2014. She continued to live pain free for almost 10 years after excision in 2007 and following a healthy lifestyle.

Unfortunately, Julie began to feel pelvic pain along with other symptoms that led her and her specialist to believe endometriosis was still present. She chose to have another excision in 2017, but unfortunately it did not take away the pain. Julie once again found herself in the same position she was 10 years earlier of immersing herself in the endometriosis community which was now much more prevalent thanks to technology advancements, but to Julie’s surprise she was still reading about how women were still suffering just as much and still being told the myths they were 10 years ago. 

It is Julie’s mission to not only help educate on endometriosis through her Instagram account, @endomomstrong , but to be part of a bigger change. She needs to feel that what she is saying and doing is helping future generations not have to go through what she and millions of others have had to or are going through right now.