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'She was going downhill fast.' What Robert Irwin wants you to know about Bindi's health.

Bindi Irwin was told her endometriosis was 'all in her head' before she received the treatment she needed.

Speaking on Sunrise on Monday, Robert Irwin shared how his sister's health condition was initially dismissed and pointed out how "so many women" go undiagnosed with the disease. 

"When it comes to women’s health, so often it's thought of as a women’s discussion, a women’s issue, but this is something that we all need to talk about," Robert told co-hosts David Koch and Nat Barr

"Endometriosis, like so many women’s health complications, affects more people than we realise.

"So many women go undiagnosed with endometriosis and live through really hellish conditions."

Endometriosis is a condition in which the tissue similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus.

Speaking about his sister's journey Robert said, "Bindi was going downhill fast". 

"Since treatment for endometriosis — after being turned down and completely written off as, 'oh, it’s all in your head' or, 'oh, it’s normal' — she finally got the help that she needed and the help she deserved... and she's a new woman."

It's why he says he's "very vocal" about telling everyone to put endometriosis on their radar. 

"Put endo on your radar for all women, and men, start making this a normal conversation to have," he said.

Bindi previously shared her struggles with endometriosis in a post on Instagram in March. 

"For 10 years I've struggled with insurmountable fatigue, pain and nausea," the 24-year-old wrote at the time.

"These last 10 years have included many tests, doctor's visits, scans, etc. A doctor told me it was simply something you deal with as a woman and I gave up entirely, trying to function through the pain."

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In the post, the mother-of-one shared she underwent "every blood test you could possibly imagine", CT scans, MRIs and ultrasounds in an effort to get to the bottom of the issue.

"We tried and tried and tried for years and years and years, and finally, a doctor told me it was just part of being a woman," she wrote. "And that’s when I gave up. I stopped looking for answers."

She eventually underwent an invasive laparoscopic surgery, which is the only reliable way to diagnose the condition, after encouragement from a friend.

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During the excision surgery, doctors found 37 lesions and a "chocolate cyst" filled with endometrial fluid. 

After five months of recovery, she shared; "I'm finally feeling better, which is truly extraordinary and something that I actually never thought that I would say". 

At the time, Robert shared his own post on Instagram praising his sister's resilience while dealing with the "crippling disease". 

"Bindi, I'm so proud of you. It’s been a long battle through a decade of pain, but you are finally on the road to recovery," he wrote alongside a photo of the pair. 

"Your story of resilience is a beacon for women around the world who are suffering - and it's a wake up call for men too. It's *everyone’s* responsibility to be allies for women's health and help spread awareness."

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As well as raising awareness about his sister's health condition, Robert has been enjoying "uncle life" with his two-year-old niece Grace, who Bindi shares with her husband Chandler Powell.

In a video shared on Instagram on Monday, Robert was the spitting image of his dad, Steve Irwin, as he fed a crocodile while Grace watched on. 

Read more: 

Why Bindi Irwin feels like she has 'a second chance at life'.

Feature Image: Instagram@robertirwinphotography.

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