Funding Hope: Alex’s Commitment to Endometriosis Research

When Alex Duncan suggested supporting ENDO1000 as her salon’s Charity of the Year, she didn’t expect the wave of emotion that followed.

“I was sitting in the airport on the way back from holiday when I got the message,” she recalls. “They’d decided we were going to support endometriosis research. I was sitting there with tears in my eyes. It was so nice that they’d done that because it is something that’s very personal to me.”

Living with Endometriosis

Alex has lived in Dunfermline her whole life and works as a nail technician in a local salon. For years, she has also been living with endometriosis, a chronic and often debilitating condition that affects one in ten women.

Her journey hasn’t been straightforward. After surgery that she felt “didn’t go well,” she was left navigating the uncertainty that so many women with endometriosis know too well.

It was at an endometriosis retreat last year that things began to shift. There, she met Priscilla Fernandez is a Specialist Research Nurse, Midwife, and the Project Coordinator for ENDO1000, a major endometriosis research study based at the University of Edinburgh. Priscilla introduced Alex to ENDO1000 and the research taking place in Edinburgh. Despite living so close, Alex had never heard of the initiative. “After meeting her and hearing the plan, I thought, this is something people need to know about” Alex said.

Fundraising with purpose

Each year, Alex’s salon team chooses a different charity to support. In the past they’ve fundraised for local causes including air ambulance services and cancer support charities. This year, when the group chat message went out asking for suggestions, Alex shared her idea to support ENDO1000.

The team didn’t hesitate.

“They were like, we think it’s important. It’s very personal to you,” she says. “None of the girls really knew what endometriosis was. So, it was nice that they’d kind of done that.”

Together, the team organised their trademark fundraiser: a sponsored pyjama week, complete with a raffle. Clients joined in the fun, donated generously and, importantly, started conversations.

“We ended up raising £378,” Alex says proudly. Since the fundraiser, something else has changed too. “It’s a bit of a safe space sometimes now,” she explains. “The number of clients that come in and ask me questions. Now they know I have it, and they feel like they can talk about it.”

What started as a workplace fundraiser has grown into a mini community of awareness and support for patients with endometriosis. Stickers, pens and badges from ENDO1000 sit in the salon, sparking conversations with clients who either don’t know what endometriosis is, or who have it themselves and are relieved to finally talk about it openly.

Why Research Matters

For Alex, the power of ENDO1000 lies in its clarity of purpose.

“You can see very much what they’re doing, where the money’s going and what they can do with that,” she says. “A lot of charities, you wonder what their plan is. I feel like ENDO1000 is very transparent.” She remembers hearing about the cost of specialist trackers and research tools. “You don’t realise how much goes into that, even just the tracker. It’s crazy.” Crucially, Alex understands that research isn’t just about quick fixes. “Any research is beneficial,” she says. “Whether it tells you what you need to know or it tells you that, well, that doesn’t work. Just actually people being aware of it and caring enough to do the research is amazing.”

Earlier diagnosis. Better treatments. Fewer years spent in pain without answers. These are the tangible goals donations help make possible.

Looking to the Future

Alex isn’t stopping here. Alongside her friends and family, she is planning to attend a local endometriosis charity ball in Fife this spring, and she hopes the salon will continue supporting the cause in future years.

For her, fundraising is about more than money. It’s about momentum.

“Seeing all the little updates… it shows how much everybody cares,” she says. “It makes you feel like it’s important and we can help others.”

How Your Donation Makes a Difference

Alex’s story is just one example of how community fundraising drives real change. Her £378 will contribute directly to cutting-edge research, specialist equipment and the work needed to improve diagnosis and treatment pathways. But there is still so much to do.

Every donation, large or small, helps researchers move closer to answers. It helps fund the tools that track symptoms more accurately. It supports the experts working to shorten diagnosis times and develop better treatments. And it gives hope to women like Alex, who have spent years searching for clarity.

As Alex puts it:

“It benefits a lot of people… and you can see very much what they’re doing to do that.”

If you’re considering donating, know that your support is part of something bigger. It’s part of building awareness, advancing research and creating a future where endometriosis is diagnosed earlier, treated more effectively and spoken about openly.

Find out how more about the ENDO1000 project, and how you can support it here: https://www.endo1000.com/donate/