Q & A with Jessica Taylor from QENDO
Tell us about QENDO?
QENDO aims to provide education, information and support to women affected by endometriosis in Queensland. From our humble beginning over 30 years ago, QENDO now supports anyone affected by endometriosis, adenomyosis, PCOS or infertility, across Australia.
Could you share your experience and journey with endometriosis?
I suppose my endometriosis journey began like so many others, debilitating pain that I couldn’t explain, trips to emergency that yielded no answers, GPs who didn’t listen, eleven of them in fact. Until I found one who did, and suggested I may have endometriosis. I promptly asked, what the hell is endometriosis? After talking to some of my family, who naturally had questions for me, I was suggested the name of a specialist in Brisbane. After seeing this doctor I was booked in for a laparoscopy within the week, and I had my diagnosis: endometriosis. While relieved to have uncovered a piece of the puzzle, the picture was anything but complete. I tried a number of treatments, varieties of the pill, hormonal treatments, but none of them worked for me. In fact, the treatments wreaked havoc with my moods and clarity of mind. Someone suggested that I try Chinese medicine and acupuncture, at a point where I needed copious amounts of opioid analgesia to merely get through the day, building up an immunity to their effects. Though it was a slow start, weekly acupuncture eliminated my reliance on opioids.
Could you tell us a little more about the QENDO EndoSafe Workplace program?
From my learnings and working with people affected, it became clear how important it is to engage the workforce, and so the workplace program was developed. The program works with employers to understand the disease and provide education and training to assist their staff towards better health. We have learnt better understanding and an awareness of the struggles people live with and opportunities to support them, makes a positive influence on the workplace relationships and culture.
How can people get involved? Do they have to be based in QLD?
While QENDO was for many years a Queensland based organisation, we now serve the nation. Anyone is welcome to reach out and discuss opportunities to get involved. It is about building the communities and developing the people in your area.
Q&A with Dr Kate Young- EndoMarch
Back in 2015 I had Kate Young reach out to me asking if I wanted some help in the Tsuno office- she was wanting to do something helpful for the cause and get away from her computer screen and PhD for a while. I had her doing something with boxes I believe, in less than ideal conditions, but she seemed positive about the experience nonetheless! During a chilly morning in a (very cold) warehouse I was renting at the time, she told me all about her research she'd just embarked on, and subsequently, because it was the first time I'd heard of Endometriosis, she told me about the disease that can impact 1 in 10 women around the world.
Meet our Featured Designer Shuh Lee
The way our collaboration with Shuh Lee came into fruition is emblematic of how supportive the creative community in Melbourne is. Shuh first met Roz at Finders Keepers in 2017 before deciding to work together on the overnight pad box design. Shuh is an incredible multi-disciplinary artist, working with jewellery to illustration, creating window installations as well as bedding and scarves! At the centre of her practice is the belief that art is about sharing and learning from the community around you- we love that.
Meet our Featured Designer Lori Camarata
Why is funding girls education (and/or helping to end period shame) important to you?
I have been lucky enough to always have access to education and support which has given me the opportunity for a great quality of life and growth as a person, so I think it’s so important for easy access to education to be available to everyone regardless of gender. Which for me, ties into ending the shame and stigma around periods and the accessibility to period products, which can negatively impact lives and interfere with girls and womxns education, employment and health.
Now let’s get personal, when did you get your first period, and how was it?
I got my period exactly one month and one day after my 13th birthday, lucky I remember the exact date so I can celebrate my period birthday! It was kind of exciting as I was one of the last girls to get their period in my friendship group. I grew up in a family that was pretty open with talking about periods, and went to an all girls school so was surrounded by a lot of information and felt somewhat prepared for it.
What do you hope that your collaboration with TSUNO will do?
I hope my collaboration will spread the word about TSUNO and the work they do to more people! I’m also really grateful to be able to contribute to a brand that helps so many people, with donating to places like One Girl and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.
What do you wish you knew about periods earlier?
I wish I had known that people experience periods differently and that different bodily functions are nothing to be embarrassed about!!
Do you have a period nickname / period pun you use in your house?
I’m usually not subtle when talking about my period so maybe something like ‘I’m bleeding out of my vagina’ :D
nudes/blacks for sure!
Finally, can you hand draw for us your favourite undies or knickers and explain why they are so good?
Period Talk: Talking about getting your first period
We were recently invited back to our old school to talk to the students about starting TSUNO, organic tampons, what is a social enterprise, and a whole lotta period talk - which was cool. It’s good to talk periods to young girls, (and young boys too!), don’t you think? Did you know that in a recent study in the UK, 14% of girls don’t know what’s happening to them when they get their first period - isn’t that awful!
Anyway, we thought we would share some of the students questions - as I know lots of people have great questions on periods, organic tampons and bamboo pads - but sometimes they don’t have the access to the answers - so here we go…
When did you get your first period?
So we asked everyone at TSUNO to answer this question - because everyone is so different...
Chris: A long time ago! I was 14 and at the time I was at boarding school - so it was something that all the students talked about A LOT. It was a bit of an anti-climax, but I do remember feeling quietly relieved that I had FINALLY got my period.
Roz: I was almost 16 when I got mine, and felt like I was the very last girl in my group of friends. I was also at boarding school, but I remember very clearly it happening on a Friday afternoon after school just before I was getting on a bus to make a 3 hour trip home. My best friend gave me a pad. All my friends were on the bus, jumping around from seat to seat, and I sat there, didn’t move the whole time, paranoid that I would have blood EVERYWHERE. When I got home I ran down the hallway of our house announcing to my mum and dad- “I’m finally a womaaaaan!’ went to the toilet to reveal the crime scene in my undies and there was the tiniest dot of blood on the pad!
Tash: I remember at school they showed us a video of a cartoon girl getting her first period by waking up in a pool of blood, so when I saw a really dark red spot on my undies one morning when I was 11, I just thought I was disgusting for not properly wiping up after a number 2. A few days later I felt a bit of a gush while I was playing Sims 2 with my brother and so I went to the toilet and there was blood all over my undies. I remember running to my mum’s room and crying. She gave me a really thick pad and told me her period ran like a tap which made me cry even more.
When do girls get their first period?
Anywhere from the age of 8 to 15, the average age is around 12/13.
What are the signs you are going to get your first period?
You might notice cramps in your lower belly or back, bloating, more pimples than usual, sore breasts, feeling tired and you might be a little more moody before your first period. We're all different, I personally had none of these symptoms - just the sensation of something wet in my pants ; )
Does getting your first period hurt?
Besides the symptoms mentioned above, no not really. If you do feel pain you need to talk to an adult or a doctor.
Have you used the plastic products - how are TSUNO products different?
Yes we have used LOTS of different products, we are continually testing all products, including our own.
The main point of difference is TSUNO has less plastic in our packaging, we don’t offer any plastic applicators (we acknowledge some people do need them, and we recommend looking out for the reusable applicators available), and we are continually looking at ways to reduce plastic in our production, packing and final products.
We also use organic cotton in our tampons and bamboo fibres in our pads - which are natural, renewable materials, with less negative environmental impact.
Finally we are passionate about breaking the ‘period taboo’ - that’s why we have artworks on our packaging, so you can display your pads proudly in your bathrooms (or lockers) - and not feel ashamed or embarrassed about pads, tampons and periods, because the period taboo is not healthy.
Other brand pads give me a rash, will yours?
Many customers have come to us because they’ve found some pads give them rashes. One of our customers told us how her rashes were so bad her doctor suggested she had genital herpes, but she didn’t - she was just allergic to the ingredients in the pads she was using.
We are all different, and we can’t guarantee our pads won’t give you a rash, but it is highly unlikely because the bamboo is a natural material, and we don't add dyes or fragrances to the pads. If they do cause a rash, stop using them, let us know and we will refund you your money.
When you did the One Girl ‘Do it in a Dress Challenge’ and went without pads and tampons for a month - which was better out of the sock or newspaper for absorbency?
Interesting question!
Well the sock - but I have to say, you never want to have to go without sanitary products - that was really TOUGH. The sock was hot and sweaty and lumpy. The newspaper also was hot and sweaty and lumpy, but just not as absorbent. My whole motivation to start TSUNO is because so many people do go without sanitary products - and that is a difficult reality we are trying to change.
What does Tsuno mean?
TSUNO (pronounced ‘SUNO’) is inspired by a Japanese cartoon character - Yoko Tsuno who is an electrical engineer. She is compassionate and has a knack for making friends. Yoko is also a skilled scuba diver, holds a black belt in aikido, and can pilot both gliders and helicopters. She sounded very cool, and someone who could change the world.
Do you have an embarrassing period story that will make me feel better about mine?
Chris: Although at Tsuno we don't find periods embarrassing, we've all experienced period leaks. I was in high school and it was long jump time in PE, and unfortunately I had my period and I was leaking - not that I realised it until someone saw my leak when I was doing high jump... At the end of the day, all was fine, I'm still alive to tell the tale - it was a really good reminder to check your pad/tampon before sports activities at school!
What should we do if we leak at school?
It’s always a good idea to keep spare pads and tampons in your bag, and a spare pair of undies too - then if you do leak, you can just excuse yourself from class / sport to go to the bathroom and clean yourself up. If you don’t have any spare pads or tampons, ask your friends to give you one - or ask a teacher or go to the school nurse and ask for some supplies. Remember everyone leaks sometimes, and it is not shameful! Just a sign that you are human :) If the leak is big, don’t freak out, one of your teachers will be able to help and they might be able to find you a spare uniform to wear for the rest of the day.
(We also had lots of the older students chime in when this question was asked, suggesting to tie your jumper around your waist until you can get to the bathroom - great idea!).
Have you used period underwear?
Yes. We think they are great - and a great addition to wearing pads and/or tampons when you are first getting your period.
How does the social enterprise work?
We work to create profits just like a normal business, but we are driven by our purpose and we donate 50% of our profits to charities who support girls education and menstrual hygiene support for those that can’t afford it.
We also donate product to The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, The Asylum Seekers Centre (NSW), The Rough Period, Share the Dignity, Essentials for Women (SA) and Period Pack.
In addition to that - we encourage our customers to Donate a Box to any of these organisations, and for every 2 boxes donated we donated a third box - and then we deliver all the boxes together.
I think the key difference between a social enterprise and a regular company, is you have a very clear vision and purpose - and you care about making a difference in the world.
Are TSUNO products more expensive?
A key feature of Tsuno pads and tampons is that they are no more expensive than other products already on the market. This makes your consumer choice a no-brainer. This is the key to making any social enterprise work. By simply switching your choice, you can make a difference to your global community, and take back some power as a consumer. Right on!
How can we help?
You can buy your bamboo pads and organic cotton tampons from TSUNO, or donate a box to someone in need. Or you can donate to One Girl.
Will you have another art show?
Yes! Subscribe to our newsletter to hear about our next art show!
Image credits: lead image Erol Ahmed on Unsplash, Welcome to Your Period by Yumi Stynes and Dr Melisa Kang. Yoko Tsuno illustration as featured on http://www.audetourdunlivre.com
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