'i Was Full Of Shame After Being Sacked For Having Endometriosis'

Sanju Pal was a high-flyer - eager and successful, she won nan Asian Woman of Achievement Award, met nan precocious Queen Elizabeth, had been invited to 10 Downing Street, and had a occupation arsenic a guidance advisor pinch City patient Accenture.

None of that mattered erstwhile she missed her capacity target successful 2018 aft taking clip disconnected for room to region 2 ample cysts connected her ovaries.

"Suddenly it was taken distant from me, and I became nothing.

"I wasn't a precocious performer anymore because I had a disability.

But past period nan Londoner won a important employment entreaty tribunal that could impact really employers are allowed to dainty labor pinch endometriosis.

These cells tin get larger and alteration successful consequence to hormones successful nan menstrual cycle, causing pain, inflammation and scar tissue.

Endometriosis is usually recovered connected nan lining of nan pelvis and ovaries and tin sometimes beryllium recovered connected nan bowel aliases bladder aliases moreover extracurricular of nan pelvic area.

There is presently nary cure, and curen is constricted to symptom alleviation and sometimes surgery.

In Sanju's case, erstwhile she was diagnosed successful 2017, her severe, heavy endometriosis had go a Stage 3 endometrioma, pinch a fluid-filled cyst 7.5cm (3in) successful diameter connected her near ovary, and another, smaller cyst connected her correct ovary.

The cysts required an contiguous cognition and a play of recovery.

After being disconnected activity for a month, Sanju returned, but it was clear she had gone backmost excessively soon.

"I was successful touch pinch HR, I was telling them really I was successful pain, really I was struggling," she says.

"I was bleeding, I could hardly walk, because I'd been pushing myself excessively much, pushing myself done nan fatigue wanting to make elder manager."

At her six-month review, and aft almost 10 years arsenic a high-flyer successful her job, she was told she would not make her capacity target.

"I was past terminated and told to time off nan building. I wasn't allowed to interaction anyone," she recalls.

"I wasn't a precocious performer anymore, according to them, because I had a disability, because I was unwell and wasn't going to beryllium contributing to nan business successful nan measurement that I had been before."

Sanju says she felt heavy shame complete what had happened.

"I was truthful sad and shocked and anxious. I didn't consciousness for illustration I could show anyone. I virtually became a ammunition of myself."

Sanju past mislaid an soul appeal, during which she disclosed further specifications of her condition. But nan patient upheld its original determination that she could not person her occupation back.

In summation to losing her job, she had besides mislaid her backstage aesculapian insurance, astatine a important infinitesimal successful her illness.

Sanju felt she had nary prime but to spell to an employment tribunal.

In 2022 nan tribunal recovered successful her favour but decided not to salary her compensation.

Sanju appealed, and successful January 2026 nan Employment Appeal Tribunal found nan original tribunal had grounded to return into relationship that she was a abnormal personification arsenic a consequence of endometriosis and that she had been taxable to favoritism because of her disability.

In a statement, Accenture told nan BBC: "As this is an ongoing ineligible matter we cannot remark further astatine this time."

Seven years and 2 employment tribunals later, Sanju says she is simply a changed person.

She still volunteers pinch nan kindness RISE, which she founded consecutive retired of schoolhouse and which connects young group successful agrarian India pinch young group successful London, a origin she has remained passionate about.

She still plays nan violin successful nan West London Sinfonia and hosts a podcast.

But her business profession has had to return a backseat while she fought for her endometriosis to beryllium recognised arsenic a disability.

"My bosom goes retired to anyone going done nan employment tribunal strategy because it's not easy," she says.

However, since doing truthful and sharing her journey, she has recovered comfortableness successful nan cause.

She hopes that her lawsuit has now group nan precedent for endometriosis to beryllium recognised arsenic a disablement nether nan Equality Act 2010.

She plans to proceed to run for a alteration successful nan rule and to proceed speaking retired for women pinch endometriosis.

"The number of messages I person from women saying 'I couldn't talk astir this, I felt acrophobic to, but you're doing it'," she reflects.