Edinburgh Napier graduate Emily Youngs has won the Create Change Challenge at the prestigious Converge Awards for her remarkable innovation in endometriosis detection technology. The young entrepreneur is to receive £30,000 to kickstart her business WombWise in its mission to support women seeking a diagnosis.
The wearable technology was designed to help women with endometriosis and polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS, previously termed PCOS) battling with long delays in receiving a diagnosis. Endometriosis is a chronic condition where cells similar to those lining the womb grow in other parts of the body, such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and bowel, often causing bleeding in these areas. Among its primary symptoms are severe period pain, extreme fatigue, fertility issues, and low mood.
While endometriosis affects as many as one in ten women of reproductive age, WombWise cites decades long sex biases in medical research as the reason we still lack a complete clinical understanding of the condition. This means the average wait for a diagnosis is currently 8 to 11 years, with 78 per cent of women in the UK who later went on to receive a diagnosis reporting dismissal or belittlement by doctors who questioned the severity of their symptoms, and 46 per cent of patients having to see five or more doctors before finally being diagnosed.
This is where WombWise hopes to make a difference. Their new app can be used with wearable devices such as Apple Watches and Oura Rings to track vital health signs including pain markers. The purpose-built algorithm then reveals patterns in the data which can be shared directly with clinicians. Equipped with real health data, women can evidence their symptoms to help doctors diagnose and treat their condition more effectively.
At the Glasgow awards ceremony, Youngs said: “I’m just so shocked to even be here, never mind win. I’m very happy.” Having secured the prize, her business will be backed by Converge who, since launching in 2011, has supported academics in transforming their research into impactful businesses. WombWise will now join the ranks of 480+ Scottish enterprises developed with Converge, and is set to continue expanding and advocating for women on the long road to endometriosis diagnosis.
Image by Anna Moffat
