Support & Statement Following Four Corners: Scarred

Building Self-Advocacy in Healthcare is a free, practical session designed to help you speak up, ask the right questions, and feel more in control at every appointment.

Care until Cure - QENDO

  • 📞 1800 ASK QENDO

    Our team can provide support and connection.

  • If you need urgent help:

    Lifeline: 13 11 14
    1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
    Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
    13YARN (First Nations crisis support): 13 92 76
    Emergency: 000

    Please seek immediate support if you feel unsafe or overwhelmed.

  • We are also hosting a dedicated Mental Health Support Webinar to provide a gentle, supportive space for those impacted.

    This session will focus on:

    • Holding space for complex emotions

    • Nervous system regulation and grounding

    • Gentle self-compassion practices

    • Understanding grief and distress responses

    • Self-care during periods of uncertainty

    Register at:
    👉 www.qendo.org.au/upcoming-events

    You are welcome exactly as you are.

  • You do not have to navigate this alone.

    Our national peer-led Mentor Program connects individuals living with endometriosis and pelvic pain with trained mentors who understand the lived experience.

    Mentors can provide:

    • Emotional support

    • Guidance navigating the health system

    • Help preparing for appointments

    • Connection and reassurance

    Learn more or register:
    👉 www.qendo.org.au/mentor-program

  • If this moment has left you feeling uncertain about your care, we also offer an on-demand webinar designed to help you advocate for yourself safely and confidently.

    This session covers:

    • Preparing for medical appointments

    • Asking informed questions

    • Understanding your rights

    • Shared decision-making

    • Tools like SBAR and BRAINS for structured conversations

    Access here:
    👉 www.qendo.org.au/advocating-in-healthcare

QENDO Response to Four Corners: Scarred

February 2026

QENDO acknowledges the recent Four Corners investigation, Scarred, which examined concerns regarding the surgical management of endometriosis and persistent pelvic pain in Australia.

We recognise that this reporting may be distressing for many members of our community. For some, it may bring up personal medical trauma, unresolved questions about past care, or feelings of anger, grief, and fear.

First and foremost; we want our community to know:

You are not alone.
Your pain is real.
Your experience matters.

Endometriosis and persistent pelvic pain are complex, multifactorial conditions that require comprehensive, evidence-based, and ethically governed care.

Surgery has a legitimate and important role in endometriosis treatment. When clinically indicated and delivered within clear standards, it can provide meaningful benefit.

However, surgery should not be the only conversation.

Persistent pelvic pain can involve overlapping contributors including:

  • Endometriosis lesions

  • Pelvic floor dysfunction

  • Sensitised or amplified pain pathways

  • Bladder and bowel conditions

  • Musculoskeletal factors

  • The cumulative impacts of repeated pain

Best practice care is often multidisciplinary and coordinated.

This may include:

  • A pelvic pain-informed GP

  • Specialist gynaecology input

  • Pelvic floor physiotherapy

  • Pain science education

  • Psychology supports where appropriate

  • And surgery, when genuinely indicated, as part of a broader plan

The Four Corners investigation has highlighted devastating harm when systems fail and when invasive procedures proceed without addressing what is truly driving pain for that individual.

No one seeking help for pelvic pain should feel unheard, unsafe, or without clear, evidence-based options.

QENDO supports

  • Multidisciplinary models of care

  • Transparent informed consent processes

  • Defined scope of practice and competency standards

  • Standardised reporting and pathology transparency

  • Strong clinical governance and regulatory oversight

  • National alignment in endometriosis and pelvic pain pathways

We also acknowledge the many dedicated clinicians, allied health professionals, researchers, and health services across Australia who are working tirelessly to provide ethical, evidence-based care in an under-resourced and fragmented system.

This moment must strengthen systems — not undermine trust in all providers.

Our hope is that this investigation accelerates safer, coordinated care pathways and ensures every person living with persistent pelvic pain has access to:

  • Evidence-based options

  • Real and informed choice

  • Respectful, trauma-informed care

  • Systems that prioritise safety and accountability

If You Need Support

We understand tonight may feel heavy.

If this coverage has raised concerns about your own care or triggered distress, support is available.

  • 📞 1800 ASK QENDO

    Our team can provide support and connection.

  • If you need urgent help:

    Lifeline: 13 11 14
    1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
    Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
    13YARN (First Nations crisis support): 13 92 76
    Emergency: 000

    Please seek immediate support if you feel unsafe or overwhelmed.

  • We are also hosting a dedicated Mental Health Support Webinar to provide a gentle, supportive space for those impacted.

    This session will focus on:

    • Holding space for complex emotions

    • Nervous system regulation and grounding

    • Gentle self-compassion practices

    • Understanding grief and distress responses

    • Self-care during periods of uncertainty

    Register at:
    👉 www.qendo.org.au/upcoming-events

    You are welcome exactly as you are.

  • You do not have to navigate this alone.

    Our national peer-led Mentor Program connects individuals living with endometriosis and pelvic pain with trained mentors who understand the lived experience.

    Mentors can provide:

    • Emotional support

    • Guidance navigating the health system

    • Help preparing for appointments

    • Connection and reassurance

    Learn more or register:
    👉 www.qendo.org.au/mentor-program

  • If this moment has left you feeling uncertain about your care, we also offer an on-demand webinar designed to help you advocate for yourself safely and confidently.

    This session covers:

    • Preparing for medical appointments

    • Asking informed questions

    • Understanding your rights

    • Shared decision-making

    • Tools like SBAR and BRAINS for structured conversations

    Access here:
    👉 www.qendo.org.au/advocating-in-healthcare