To mark Endometriosis Awareness Month, we’re highlighting the recent launch of the Endometriosis Management and Promotion Of Wellbeing using Evidence-based Research (EMPOWER) Network, led by Dr Laura Cowley and her team, which took place at Swansea University’s Data Science Building, bringing together a diverse group of experts and voices committed to improving endometriosis care.
The successful event welcomed 18 external attendees including those from academia, Welsh Government, clinicians (nurses and a consultant gynaecologist), women’s health practitioners, and those with lived experience.
Through interactive workshops and mapping discussions, participants explored the current landscape of endometriosis research in Wales, identifying ongoing projects, gaps in evidence and clinical provision, and priority areas for future work. Insights from these workshops will inform EMPOWER’s research, which aims to address these gaps by fostering interdisciplinary, evidence-based research and collaboration across sectors, grounded in patient insights, to improve care and wellbeing for those living with endometriosis.
In this blog, we catch up with EMPOWER’s Principal Investigator, Dr Laura Cowley, who tells us more about the network, and highlights key takeaways from the launch event.
What inspired the creation of the EMPOWER Network?
I was diagnosed with stage 4 deep infiltrating endometriosis following laparoscopic surgery in April 2023, and although I had a second surgery in September 2024, I continue to experience pain, fatigue, and other symptoms. While seeking support, I joined the aptly named “Ladies Who Lap” walking group, where I quickly realised there is a large and active endometriosis community in South Wales, with many people, like me, looking for ways to better manage their condition.
Around the same time, a friend and I began trying contrast therapy (alternating heat and cold), a growing wellness trend. I found it helped my mood and provided some short-term symptom relief, but I was struck by the lack of evidence around its safety and effectiveness for people with endometriosis.
Shortly afterwards, I was accepted onto the Welsh Crucible programme for emerging research leaders, where the focus on interdisciplinary collaboration prompted me to explore this further. During one of the programme’s activities—a sea swim and coastal sauna—I began to consider how we might formally investigate contrast therapy as a potential tool for symptom management and wellbeing.
With this in mind, I brought together a small team and secured initial funding for a pilot study. From there, we saw an opportunity to go further by building a broader network of researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and people with lived experience interested in endometriosis. This led to the creation of both the EMPOWER-Contrast Therapy study and the wider EMPOWER Network.
From your perspective, what are the biggest gaps in endometriosis research and care in Wales? Did anything surprise you during the mapping and workshop sessions?
While growing awareness – driven in part by women sharing their experiences in the media and on social platforms – has highlighted the long delays many face in receiving an endometriosis diagnosis, this remains a critical gap in care that urgently needs addressing.
However, from my perspective, there is also a significant unmet need for those who have already been diagnosed. Many individuals undergo multiple surgeries yet continue to experience persistent symptoms, often feeling they have exhausted all available options and are left without ongoing, coordinated support. This lack of continuity of care is a major issue.
During the mapping and workshop sessions, participants consistently emphasised the importance of better joined up working across primary, secondary, and allied health services. While this was not surprising, it reinforced how fragmented current care pathways can be.
Another strong and recurring theme was the lack of resources and funding for both research and clinical services. Participants highlighted the challenge of securing investment, particularly the need to better demonstrate the economic impact and value of endometriosis services in order to drive meaningful change.
The launch brought together academia, clinicians, policymakers and those with lived experience. Why was it important to have all those voices in the room?
Bringing together researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and people with lived experience was essential to creating a genuinely collaborative and meaningful approach to endometriosis research and care. Too often, these groups work in isolation, which can lead to gaps between research, clinical practice, and the real needs of those living with the condition.
The EMPOWER Network was designed to bridge these divides. By integrating diverse perspectives from the outset, we can co-produce research that is more relevant, inclusive, and grounded in lived experience. This is particularly important in women’s health, where research has historically been fragmented and under-representative of patient voices.
A key focus of the network is building strong, interdisciplinary partnerships across Wales – connecting universities, health boards, third sector organisations, and advocacy groups. This collaborative approach strengthens our ability to share expertise, identify priorities, and translate research into real-world improvements in care.
The workshop itself reinforced the value of this approach. One particularly striking insight was how keen clinicians were to be involved in research from the very beginning, encouraging academics to engage with them early to ensure projects are practical and meaningful in clinical settings.
Equally important is the central role of lived experience. Ensuring that people with endometriosis are actively involved in shaping research priorities helps keep the work focused on what truly matters – improving quality of life and addressing unmet needs.
Ultimately, bringing all these voices together enables a more joined-up, inclusive model of research and care – one that aligns with wider ambitions in Wales for collaborative, person-centred, and impactful health research.
How do you hope EMPOWER will improve patient experience and outcomes?
I hope EMPOWER will improve patient experience and outcomes by making care feel more connected, responsive, and centred around the needs of those living with endometriosis.
A key priority is improving communication – both between patients and healthcare professionals, and across different parts of the healthcare system – so that individuals are better supported as they navigate their care. Alongside this, the network aims to empower patients with the knowledge and confidence to advocate for themselves and make informed decisions about their health.
Another key aim is to develop and evaluate accessible, evidence-based approaches to symptom management – particularly for those who continue to experience symptoms after diagnosis and treatment. This includes exploring self-management strategies that can support both physical and mental wellbeing. Though doing so, the network seeks to help ensure clearer, more consistent care pathways, so that people can access the right support at the right time, rather than feeling lost in the system.
Ultimately, the goal is to help people feel heard, seen, and better supported – and, over time, to improve symptom management, wellbeing, and overall quality of life.
What shifts in women’s health policy would you like to see as a result of EMPOWER’s work?
I would like to see a shift towards more coordinated, long-term, and person-centred approaches to women’s health – particularly for chronic conditions like endometriosis. While improving diagnostic timelines is essential, policy also needs to better recognise and support those living with ongoing symptoms after diagnosis, ensuring continuity of care beyond surgical intervention.
Another important shift would be greater investment in interdisciplinary research and services. EMPOWER highlights the value of collaboration across academia, healthcare, and the third sector, and I hope this work helps demonstrate the impact of more joined-up approaches – both in terms of patient outcomes and economic value.
I would also like to see stronger recognition of the importance of lived experience in shaping policy and research priorities. Embedding co-production as a standard approach would help ensure that services are designed around the real needs of those they are intended to support.
Finally, there is a need for sustained funding and strategic support for women’s health research more broadly. By building the evidence base – particularly around self-management and supportive care approaches – we can help inform policies that are more responsive, equitable, and effective.
Ultimately, I hope EMPOWER contributes to a shift towards a more inclusive, evidence-driven, and patient-informed women’s health policy landscape.
What are the next steps following the launch and how can researchers or organisations join or contribute to the network?
Following the launch, we are focused on building momentum and expanding the network’s reach. We will be hosting a further event in Aberystwyth in June to bring together new collaborators and continue these important conversations.
Alongside this, several projects are already underway, including the EMPOWER-CT study, as well as research exploring the potential toxicity of period products and privacy and security issues in menstrual health tracking apps. We have also established our EMPOWER-VOICES patient and public involvement group, which has already provided invaluable input into shaping our research plans.
Looking ahead, we plan to present our work at key meetings and conferences, including the Menstruation Research conference and the Primary care Endometriosis and Adenomyosis Research and Learning (PEARL) network, while continuing to apply for funding and build partnerships across Wales and beyond.
We are keen to welcome new collaborators from academia, healthcare, policy, and the third sector. Anyone interested in contributing to the network – whether through research, collaboration, or lived experience involvement – is encouraged to get in touch.
Get Involved
If you’re interested in learning more about this research and/or you would like to join the EMPOWER Network please email Dr Laura Cowley, @L.E.Cowley@Swansea.ac.uk.
Funders
The EMPOWER Network is funded by the Learned Society of Wales through its Workshop Grant and Culture Grant schemes, with additional support from the AberCollab scheme to support the network’s launch in Aberystwyth. The EMPOWER-Contrast Therapy study is funded by the Welsh Crucible.