Elizabeth Amoaa: Turning Pain into Purpose
For Black History Month, This Won’t End Me is celebrating Black women leading powerful change in reproductive and menstrual health. Today, we spotlight Elizabeth Amoaa — award-winning advocate, author, and founder of Speciallady Awareness Global in UK and Speciallady Awareness in Ghana.
Elizabeth lives with multiple reproductive health conditions including uterus didelphys, endometriosis, and fibroids. After years of misdiagnoses and medical challenges, she turned her story into a global movement breaking taboos and empowering women to take charge of their health.
Q&A with Elizabeth
Q: You’ve been open about your personal journey with multiple reproductive health conditions. What inspired you to turn your story into advocacy?
Elizabeth: I wanted others to feel encouraged to seek early medical intervention to prevent long-term complications. Sharing my story also allows me to break the stigma and taboos around gynecological conditions, showing people that they are not alone.
Q: What barriers do you think still exist in conversations around menstrual and reproductive health, especially for women of colour?
Elizabeth: There are still cultural stigmas, lack of representation and limited access to accurate information. Many women of colour also face systemic barriers in healthcare, such as not being listened to or taken seriously, which makes it even harder to have open and honest conversations about reproductive health.
Q: Through Speciallady Awareness, you’ve reached communities globally. What impact are you most proud of?
Elizabeth: I’m proud of impacting over 40,000 school girls in Ghana through education and empowerment programs. I’m also proud of organising women’s health talks in minority communities across the UK, creating safe spaces where women feel encouraged to speak openly and take charge of their health.
Q: Your books have been recognised internationally, even making their way into schools and universities. How do you hope they shape the next generation’s understanding of reproductive health?
Elizabeth: I hope they inspire young people to view reproductive health as an important part of overall well-being, not something to be hidden or shamed. By normalising these conversations in educational spaces, I want the next generation to grow up more informed, confident and empowered to advocate for their health and the health of others.
Q: What message would you share with someone newly diagnosed with endometriosis or another reproductive health condition?
Elizabeth: Remember that you are special and your diagnosis does not define you. Seek support, learn about your condition and know that there is a community of people who understand what you are going through. With the right information and care, you can still live a fulfilling life.
Q: Looking ahead, what’s next for your advocacy work?
Elizabeth: I want to continue expanding Speciallady Awareness & Speciallady Awareness Globally, partnering with more schools, universities and community organisations. I’m also working on new initiatives to train healthcare professionals on cultural sensitivity in women’s health, so that every woman feels seen, heard and cared for.
Elizabeth Amoaa’s journey is a powerful reminder that our stories, even when marked by pain and challenge, can be transformed into movements of hope and change. Through her advocacy, writing, and leadership, she is creating a world where conversations about menstrual and reproductive health are no longer silenced but embraced with honesty, dignity, and empowerment.
As we honour Black History Month, Elizabeth’s work shows us the importance of representation, the strength of resilience, and the impact of using our voices to uplift others. Her message is clear: our diagnoses do not define us but our courage to speak out can inspire generations.
