Hello :) My name is Savannah Clark and I'm trying to raise money to freeze my eggs. Many of you who know me know that my health has been a struggle for many, many years. My journey began back in high school. From sick days to my parents coming to pick me up early. Thanks to my reproductive issues, I became anemic, having to go on strong medication to stop the flow (if you know what I mean).

In college, I experienced my first cyst rupture, ending me up in the ER. From there started all the doctor visits. My mom driving to Lakeland, trying to help me find a doctor who would listen. Learning how to become my own advocate since I wasn't being taken seriously at such a young age. I heard, "you'll grow out of it" or "this is just the struggle of being a woman." But I knew something wasn't right. I knew throwing up, not being able to stand, being taken to the hospital on a regular occurrence was not, quote on quote, normal. My senior year, I finally found a doctor who took me seriously and truly listened to my struggle and what was happening to me. She asked me if anyone had mentioned Endometriosis to me before. This was the first time I had heard of this. I went home and immediately started researching what the symptoms were, and if there was a cure. I found that what many women went through was similar to what was happening to me, but at a much younger age. I decided to have surgery (since this is the only way to confirm this diagnosis) but had to wait almost two years due to all the red tape of insurance.

Turns out that not only did I have it, but it had spread. Not only was my uterus incapacitated with scar tissue, but my fallopian tubes were backed up with blockage. This was the middle of the pandemic, so I was completely alone going into surgery and coming out of it. I could only have one person picking me up in the parking lot. Both my parents took care of me afterwards.

Well, I thought this was it. I was finally going to be pain-free. I could really start experiencing my life at the fresh age of 21. How quickly those dreams went away. I was prescribed a medication that would help post-surgery and keep the endometriosis from coming back. But I learned insurance didn't cover it due to it being "not medically necessary." It would have cost me $6,000 a month for 6 months. I don't know anyone who could afford that, especially not a fresh graduate from college. I was so lucky to have such an amazing doctor because she found a grant I could apply for. I was accepted and it only cost me $10 a month. Downside, I experienced extreme side effects and couldn't handle being on the medication the full time it was prescribed. I went back on regular birth control and tried to manage my symptoms.

Shortly after, my best friend and I decided to move to the beautiful state of Colorado. I was so excited to start a new journey and enjoy my life. Within a year, I started experiencing pain again. I was fully in denial because the surgery was supposed to help for 10+ years. It only got worse. I had more cyst ruptures. I was going through feminine products within hours. I was working from home because I couldn't get out of bed. I was slipping back into a dark depression. I'm crying to my OBGYN, to my friends, to my therapist. I just needed answers. My OBGYN had heard of a clinical trial for endometriosis; the study was trying to find a medication that was covered by insurance and would have limited side effects. I applied and was accepted. It was a toll on my body for sure. Having to complete bone scans, blood work every month, ultrasound every month. It was a lot.

Since I was off my high dosage birth control, I quickly started noticing the daily pain again. After 6 months in the trial, I was removed (essentially, I was kicked out of the study). My new OBGYN said I would need surgery again. He hadn't experienced a patient needing a second surgery only three years after the first one. This was the first time conversations started of, if you want kids, we need to start making some serious decisions. Do I want to start trying now, do I have my ovaries removed, do I even want kids? The answer is still I don't know. But I do know I can't keep living like this. ER visits, blood work, ultrasounds, doctors scratching their heads, I refuse for this to be my normal daily life.

After my second surgery in April 2024, my doctor informed me once again the endometriosis was worse than they expected. It had spread to both ovaries, my bladder was attached to the lining of my wall with scar tissue. I remember laying in the hospital bed just hearing over and over again, "This wasn't normal." Now here I am in January of 2025, already had another cyst rupture. Having biopsies done because they are finding cancer cells. Pain when doing normal things, pain when waking up, etc. And making the heavy decision of freezing my eggs. I don't want the option taken away from me. Enough has already been taken away. The next step is completely having my ovaries removed if I want to be completely pain-free, and that terrifies me. So here I am trying to raise money to be able to freeze my eggs and again find a new normal for me.

I can't thank my support system enough that I have found out here in Colorado. From my friends that are family, my amazing partner Andrew, my family in Special Olympics, but also my amazing friends and family throughout the United States that check in on me all the time. Who call me up to distract me from the hard moments. I would not have been able to do this alone. So, thank you!

With lots of love,

Savannah Clark