Stones is a five-minute autobiographical film by Lisa Creagh exploring 25 years of endometriosis, menstrual pain and the experience of reaching menopause. Made in collaboration with her daughter, the film reflects on chronic illness, treatment, fertility, motherhood and resilience. Creagh also acknowledges the pioneering surgery that enabled her to have a child, transforming a deeply personal history of pain into a work about memory, survival and women’s health.
Most people dread the menopause. For me, it’s a blessed relief to finally draw to a close the the days, weeks, months and years of period pain and misery. Now 52, I made this film – the first of a two part piece, to explore my memories of these twenty five years of pain. Years counted in periods, one stone at a time….
For anyone experiencing this issue, I send my heartfelt sympathies to you and urge you to have hope, be positive and search out help. Mine came first in the shape of my wonderful GP in Deptford and also my yoga teachers, acupuncturist, chinese herbalist, natrapath, massage therapists and many other complimentary therapists who helped me integrate the illness, make peace with it and continue to live a fulfilling life across these many years of disruptive illness.
This film is a collaboration with my daughter, a child made possible by pioneering surgery developed by Mr English – the first person to really understand the illness and offer me hope. Based at Worthing Hospital, now retired, Mr English developed a real treatment for Endometriosis – something hitherto unimagined.
This film is available on my Patreon site. Please share with anyone it may help.