Did you know Corinne also copes with a long-term illness?
Recently, 28-year-old Corinne Foxx bravely revealed her battle with an “invisible” and frequently misdiagnosed condition. While believing these symptoms to be typical occurrences, Foxx endured years of crippling agony, nausea, chronic tiredness, and bladder irritation during her monthly cycle.
She experienced progressively worse symptoms between the ages of 13 and 24. Because she could not go to work or school, Corinne had been taught that her crippling ailment was just a regular part of the menstrual cycle.
However, something wasn’t right when Corinne’s roommate found her curled up in pain on the bathroom floor during a disturbing incident. It was clear that this wasn’t just menstruation cramps.
According to Corinne Foxx, “I had a roommate tell me, ‘Corinne, this is not normal,’” she said in an interview.
“For me, that is when my life’s course completely changed. I then set out on a quest to discover, “Well, if it’s not normal, then what is it?”
She visited “five or six” doctors to get answers but was repeatedly rebuffed with explanations like hormone imbalances or bladder cancer.
It was a frightening and difficult procedure, according to Corinne. “This journey has involved a lot of medical gaslighting. Women of color, in particular, I believe, are frequently ignored or not believed when they present with symptoms.”
Her perseverance eventually paid off when she discovered a doctor who identified stage 4 endometriosis as the cause of her painful pains and ongoing agony. Endometriosis is a reproductive illness in which uterine tissue grows outside the uterus.
The doctor told her that she could perform surgery, but the procedure’s specifics and potential consequences were unclear. Corinne then decided to research the disease more and educate herself on it.
“I had a painful experience with my diagnosis. At my sixth doctor’s appointment, I encountered a male doctor who had already used inappropriate language. He blurted out the phrase “endometriosis” without providing any context as to what that meant, which made me feel even less at ease,” Corinne said.
Foxx and the film’s director Shannon Cohn were driven to create a documentary that would illuminate the lack of understanding and support for women’s reproductive health and increase awareness of this frequently misunderstood illness. The World Health Organization estimates that 10% of women between 15 and 44 have endometriosis.
In 2022, her movie, Below the Belt, was released.
In October 2018, Corinne had a successful procedure done by her obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Iris Orbuch. The surgical surgery changed Corinne’s life because she no longer suffers from the unbearable symptoms she endured for so long. Jamie Foxx, Corinne’s well-known father, apparently wasn’t even aware of his daughter’s health issues; he only learned of them soon before Corinne underwent surgery in 2018.
“My family and I are quite close, but I didn’t inform my dad about this until after I had planned my operation. It’s quite private when you’re dealing with reproductive concerns. These symptoms can come with a lot of embarrassment. It’s a delicate topic. That brings up the issue of inadequate research once more. Before the operation, I wasn’t completely certain I had endometriosis. Naturally, when I did tell my dad, he was quite encouraging.” She recalled that as I was leaving for surgery, he was holding my hand.
Corinne is an ambassador for Sollis Health and the Endometriosis Foundation of America. Her experience is a powerful reminder of the value of self-advocacy and following one’s gut feelings, especially regarding women’s health.
She wants to motivate and inspire other women to get medical help if they have unusual symptoms throughout their menstrual periods by sharing her personal experience.
She said, “I am aware that by telling my story, I will have an impact on people who look like me. I hope that people see themselves in me and see a woman of color talking about her experience.”
She is working in the same direction as many other well-known celebrities, including Bindi Irwin, Lena Dunham, Halsey, Julianne Hough, Amy Schumer, and Padma Lakshmi, who have openly discussed their endometriosis experiences.
To promote prompt diagnosis and efficient care of illnesses like endometriosis, society must emphasize and support women’s reproductive health by offering the tools and information required.
We are moving toward a time when women’s health is fully recognized, acknowledged, and adequately addressed because of Corinne Foxx’s bravery in sharing her story.
