“These are things that are private for most of us and I didn’t know how people would receive it, and as a public figure, I wasn’t sure how it would play out. But I’m not talking about [my endometriosis] as a public figure. I’m speaking out as a woman.” ~ Millen Magese, Humanitarian
Summary: Millen Magese is a Tanzanian born model best known for winning 2001 Miss Tanzania beauty pageant. Standing 5 feet 11 inches, she has appeared in top fashion shows in Africa, Europe, and Asia. She relocated to South Africa for her modeling career when she was diagnosed with endometriosis (a disease in which tissue that normally growing inside the uterus grows outside it, resulting in pelvic pain and infertility) which she later shared publicly. Millen was named Africa’s Unsung Heroes by BBC. She has won many awards for her humanitarian efforts, including MMR Humanitarian Award Recipient 2015 and BET International Global Good Awards.
Nationality: Tanzanian
Industry: Philanthropy
Q: Are you adamant about raising awareness about your condition? on radianthealthmag.com
A: I have one rule in life when it comes to health and making a change: when you can help someone, don’t allow shame and other people’s judgement to become an obstacle. It has been 10 years since my diagnosis, and it has taken a total of 12 surgeries, multiple attempts to reopen my blocked fallopian tubes, a non-functional ovary, miscarriages, and three IVF egg-retrieval procedures during one IVF cycle for me to speak out. Though I admit this can all be very emotional, I really didn’t care how negatively people will take it. Instead, I posted my story on social media in the hope that one woman will be touched and be able relate to my challenge. It turns out a lot of women could, and for that I’m grateful.
