Last Friday, our Year 10 students were invited to participate in one of two PPEP Talks (one session for girls, the other for boys), delivered by Clinical Educator Miss Ailsa Ormerod – PPEP stands for Periods, Pain & Endometriosis Program.
PPEP Talk is jointly funded by the Federal and State Governments and is part of the National Action Plan for Endometriosis; it is an initiative of the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia, who are dedicated to helping young people manage their pain so that they can live to their full potential. The program has been developed by medical and education professionals and de-mystifies period pain, pelvic pain and endometriosis.
It includes discussions around normal menstruation, how to recognise when symptoms are abnormal, and simple ways to improve those symptoms. Some of the key discussion topics that Ailsa covered in her talks included:
- a brief recap of pelvic anatomy and periods
- five different types of pelvic pain someone may be experiencing and easy strategies to reduce this pain; i.e. medication (anti-inflammatories), hormone options (oral contraceptive pills, contraceptive implants and intrauterine devices (IUD’s), the role of pelvic muscles (stretching, heat and movement), diet, exercise, sleep, cycle tracking, positive experiences and pain psychology
- the neuroscience of pain
- endometriosis – how common it is (one in seven women, girls and gender diverse people assigned female at birth), how to recognise when someone has it and how to treat it
- practical ways to support friends and family who experience period and pelvic pain
Both groups of our Year 10 students were really receptive to the messages that Ailsa conveyed throughout each session. We received great feedback from the students too (both girls and boys) – well done to all involved.
~ Mrs. Lenny Woods (Wellbeing Leader)
