Katja Mia praised for documentary exploring women's health issues that often go ignored
Broadcaster Katja Mia, who suffers from endometriosis, wanted to speak up for women who find themselves in a similar situation and to offer a platform for women to have their voices heard. Picture: Katja Mia/Instagram.
Broadcaster Katja Mia's new documentary has gained attention from women across the country who have received misdiagnoses or late diagnoses of conditions.
The 2FM star returned to her former workplace at Virgin Media Television last week to talk about the new documentary, which sees the broadcaster investigate how women are being failed by the Irish healthcare system.
The documentary, which aired on Monday, also explores the realities of delayed diagnosis, medical dismissal and online health misinformation, as well as how years of medical dismissal have driven many women to seek answers elsewhere.
Mia, who suffers from endometriosis, wanted to speak up for women who find themselves in a similar situation and to offer a platform for women to have their voices heard.
The 30-year-old was diagnosed with the condition when she was 28, following a 14-year search for answers about what was going on with her body.
Speaking in the opening part of the documentary, Mia says: “Why are we not making more noise? There’s such a great need to talk about this right now.
“If women were listened to in the first place, women wouldn't feel like they’d have to go online to look for the answers or find other women that would listen to them. Women are being gaslit.”
She says she put a callout on her social media for women who have experienced pain with endometriosis, chronic illness, ADHD, or late diagnosis to reach out to her.
The response to that callout, she says, is something she had not anticipated. The post reached 78,500 views, 775 reshares, and 246 comments.
“It just shows there is a great need to talk about this now,” she says.
The first episode features Cork woman Sarah Lee, who reached out to Mia after seeing her post on Instagram.
The 28-year-old special needs assistant and endometriosis advocate spent years battling chronic pain before finally receiving a diagnosis at the age of 25 with endometriosis.
Lee describes how the condition impacted every aspect of her daily life and explains why she ultimately travelled to Greece in search of specialist treatment after exhausting all her options at home, which included a particularly bad experience where her pain was dismissed.
“You’re made to feel like you’re hysterical, but it’s not hysterical. You are in pain, you’re feeling this every day and yeah, you’re emotional, but you're emotional because you’re feeling the pain,” Lee says.
As Mia follows Lee to Greece for “more specialised treatment”, viewers are also introduced to Denise Keogh, whose 13-year journey to diagnosis saw her symptoms repeatedly dismissed despite severe and life-altering pain, with medical professionals even suggesting her symptoms were psychosomatic.
Specialist surgeon Dr Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos, known as Dr Dinos, also offers insight into the growing number of women travelling from Ireland in search of specialist endometriosis care. Alongside Dr Kyriakopoulos, GP Dr Sumi Dunne reflects on what it means when patients feel compelled to leave the country in pursuit of relief from their symptoms.
Seeking to understand why so many women report feeling unheard by healthcare systems, Mia also visits researchers at University College Cork (UCC) investigating medical dismissal and symptom invalidation.
Research Associate Dr Jenny Cooney-Quane shares findings from studies examining women's healthcare experiences, revealing accounts of patients who felt their symptoms were minimised, dismissed or attributed to anxiety rather than underlying medical conditions.
The documentary also explores how years spent searching for answers can cause some women to disengage from traditional healthcare pathways and seek support elsewhere.
Journalist Shauna Bowers discusses the positive role social media has played in raising awareness of women's health issues and connecting patients with support networks, but Mia also investigates the darker side of online health content and the rise of a wellness industry that can capitalise on women's desperation for answers.
Misinformation expert Dr David Robert Grimes also features, examining how wellness influencers, supplement companies and unverified online advice can prey on vulnerable people searching for solutions, and researcher and women's health advocate Samantha Trevaskis opens up about the lengthy journey that led to her diagnosis of PMDD after years of struggling with symptoms.
The documentary also explores how women have historically been overlooked in research on ADHD, as entrepreneur and athlete Sharon Keegan reflects on receiving an ADHD diagnosis in adulthood after years of being treated for anxiety and depression.
The investigation then turns to cardiovascular health, and Mia meets Pauline O'Shea, whose life changed dramatically after a serious cardiac event following the birth of her third child.
Following the airing of the documentary on Monday night, Mia’s social media was flooded with praise for raising awareness and giving women a voice.
“Thank you, Katja, for making this documentary. It felt very validating to watch and I’m sure a lot of people, including myself, are very thankful for you tonight,” one Instagram user wrote.
“Unreal Katja. As an endo girly who’s often felt unheard, you’ve brought so much awareness to something that affects so many of us. You should be so proud of yourself for making this documentary and helping people feel seen and heard,” another wrote.
“Thanks for highlighting for us women. Not just for endometriosis, but for all causes,” another user penned under the broadcaster’s post.
aired on Monday at 9pm on Virgin Media One and can be viewed online on Virgin Media Player.
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