From Ultrarunner to Endometriosis Advocate: The Challenge of a Lifetime
When Scarborough Bicycle Accident Law last shared Joella Nicole's runner story, she was celebrating her resilience at her third Javelina Jundred—a grueling 100-mile race in the Arizona desert. But halfway through, Joella’s life took an unexpected turn. Only a few months later, the ultrarunner and mental health professional was diagnosed with stage three endometriosis, a chronic condition that affects 10% of women globally and takes, on average, 8-12 years to diagnose.
“Treatment options are not great,” Joella explains. “It’s a disease most women just end up coping with… there is no treatment that cures the disease.”
Living with Endometriosis: A Diagnosis Years in the Making
For Joella, the marathon became a way to reassert control over her body and use her runner’s platform to bring attention to the difficult journey that many women with endometriosis face. It’s why her participation in the New York City Marathon next month holds deeper significance than a typical race. After a complicated surgery and a challenging recovery, Joella received an invitation to run for the Endometriosis Foundation of America, an opportunity that felt like both a personal milestone and a powerful way to support others.
“Now it really feels like something significant,” Joella shares. “Besides giving back to the Endometriosis Foundation, it’s a personal triumph.”
Empowering Women to Seek the Care They Deserve
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Joella has long been committed to strengthening women’s voices and advocating for better healthcare for women. Recently, she spoke at a women’s health panel in Bend, Oregon, where she highlighted the importance of perseverance in seeking medical care and how often women’s symptoms are dismissed.
“There just is this huge need for women to have [the] ability to advocate, be assertive about symptoms, and to not be afraid to keep revisiting something even if they’re shut down,” Joella says.
Since age eleven, Joella had voiced her concerns, suspecting she had endometriosis like her mother, only to be repeatedly dismissed until her diagnosis in 2023. Now, she’s leveraging her story to empower others, running not just to conquer her own limits but also to ensure that women with endometriosis know they’re not alone.
Running for Endometriosis Awareness and a Future of Better Women’s Health
When Joella takes on the New York City Marathon next month, she’ll be running not just to conquer her own limits but to help ensure that women with endometriosis know they’re not alone. Her journey serves as a powerful reminder that no matter the diagnosis, there is always hope for healing, strength, and empowerment. Go Joella!
