If you're experiencing symptoms suggestive of endometriosis but haven’t received an official diagnosis, and you need access to specialist consultations and ultrasounds to get answers—but are facing financial challenges in accessing these specialist services.

This grant is for women who are still on the pathway to diagnosis—not for those who have already been diagnosed with endometriosis and have received treatment, including laparoscopic surgery.

While we would love to support women who have already been diagnosed with endometriosis in their treatment journey, the focus of this grant is to reduce the average 6.5-year diagnostic delay. Living in limbo, without knowing what’s causing your symptoms, can be both mentally and physically crippling. Our aim is to help women access the specialist care and testing they need to move forward with a clear plan for treatment and management.

To apply, you must:

• Be experiencing symptoms suggestive of endometriosis but haven’t received an official diagnosis.
• Be a resident of Australia.

If successful, grant recipients must consent to:

• Vee Underwear sharing your first name, headshot, story, and progress post-grant via Vee Underwear’s Instagram, Facebook, Email, and Website.
• A 6-monthly check-in with Vee Underwear for updates and progress (casual video call with Founder, Em).
• Utilising the funds within 6 months of transfer and providing proof (in the form of invoicing) that the funds were used for medical investigation of endometriosis.

Please note: All applicants must consent to the commitments above in order to apply.

The $1,000 Vee Endometriosis Diagnosis Grant is designed to help with the costs associated with the following:

• Specialist consultations – Appointments with endometriosis specialist gynaecologists or other relevant healthcare providers.
• Diagnostic imaging – Ultrasounds, MRIs, or other scans needed to investigate potential endometriosis.

The aim of the grant is to assist you in covering these costs to help you get closer to a definitive diagnosis. Specialist consultations generally range from $250–$400 per appointment.

Here’s an example of the steps a recipient might take as part of their journey to a diagnosis:

1. GP referral – You may need a referral from your GP to see an endometriosis specialist gynaecologist.

2. Consultation with endometriosis specialist gynaecologist – During this consultation, you’ll discuss your symptoms and the likelihood of an endometriosis diagnosis. Based on this discussion, you might be referred for diagnostic imaging to provide the specialist with more information. (Approx. cost: $250–$350)

3. Diagnostic imaging – Depending on your specialist’s advice, you might then complete the recommended imaging, such as ultrasounds or MRIs. (Approx. cost: $250–$350)

4. Follow-up consultation – After your imaging, you may return to your specialist for a follow-up consultation to discuss the results. At this point, the specialist should be able to provide clarity on one of the following:

• Endometriosis diagnosis confirmed via diagnostic imaging.
• Strong suspicion of endometriosis based on both the specialist’s observations and diagnostic imaging, though a laparoscopy surgery may be required to formally diagnose (not all cases can be diagnosed through imaging).
• Endometriosis unlikley based on both the specialist’s observations and imaging. If this is the case, the specialist should provide clarity on other potential causes for your symptoms and continue to guide you toward answers.

Regardless of the outcome, the goal of this grant is to give you access to the specialist care you need to uncover or get closer to a definitive diagnosis.

Disclaimer - the information provided here, including the steps and costs mentioned, is purely hypothetical and is intended to offer a digestible example of what the process might look like for our grant recipients. These steps are not medical advice and every individual’s journey may vary, and we encourage you to consult with a specialist healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your specific situation.

Applications will be reviewed based on financial need, the urgency of diagnosis, and the overall impact of your symptoms. We take a holistic approach when reviewing and all applications will be assessed with care and confidentiality.

If you're selected, you'll be notified via email on 25th March, along with instructions on how to access the grant funds and the next steps.

If you don’t hear from us on 25th March, unfortunately, we weren’t able to offer you funding this round. We know this can be disappointing, but please don’t lose heart – we’re committed to keeping all applicants informed about future opportunities. Due to the high volume of applications, we may not be able to respond to individual queries about your application status, but we truly appreciate the time and effort you’ve taken to share your story with us.

This is the first year of our grant, and while we wish we could support everyone who applies, we’re a small female start-up with big ambitions. But don’t worry — we’re just getting started! We’re committed to growing this initiative and making it bigger and better each year, so we can support even more people on their female health journey.

• Follow us on Instagram at @veeunderwear for announcements.

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