Hilary Mantel, the Booker Prize-winning novelist, died on September 20, 2022, at the age of 70, according to her publisher HarperCollins. Mantel has written many great works, but she is best recognized as the author of Wolf Hall and its sequel, Bring Up The Bodies. While the reason for her death has not been determined, Hilary Mantel previously said that she had been “sick for most of (her) life.” Mantel said during an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live that she suffered from excruciating menstrual cramps, for which she actively sought treatment when she was 19 years old.
The author was diagnosed with endometriosis at the age of 27. At the time, surgery was the only choice. Mantel’s health forced her to divorce her husband, Gerald McEwan, in 1981, only to remarry him in 1982. The Wolf Hall author explained the illness to BBC Radio, saying that it causes uterine tissue to develop outside of the uterus. The disease, she claims, “confiscated her fertility at 27” and left her “besieged.”
One of the many passages of Hilary Mantel that will never leave. ‘All houses are haunted.’ RIP. pic.twitter.com/o5vJau5hoa
— mjm (@matthewjmclean) September 23, 2022
What did Hilary Mantel have to say about her endometriosis battle?
Hilary Mantel has been open about her endometriosis fight. During an interview with BBC Radio, the author described how she had had the disease since she was 19 years old. Mantel stated:
“You must learn to live with it as well as around it. I’ve been sick for much of my life, at least since I was 19.”
Hilary Mantel revealed her first period at the age of 11 in an interview with The Guardian, which was not a pleasant experience. She said, ”
“My menstrual cramps subsided. But nausea, vomiting, exhaustion, and painful legs quickly brought me to the doctor… I was given tranquilizers and anti-depressants, as well as the possibility to work as a mental patient, which I ultimately decided not to pursue.”
While her menstrual cycle did not improve in her twenties, the author recalls needing to undergo surgery that transformed her life. The Guardian quoted Hilary Mantel as saying:
“It was called on the operating table, and in order to make me viable, I had to remove a portion of my bladder and colon, as well as my womb and ovaries. I awoke to a bizarre future: childlessness, early menopause, and an already shaky marriage that would soon break apart.”
During an interview with BBC Radio, she detailed how the therapies “had done their own harm” to her body. According to the author:
“I don’t have a family, and I didn’t have the opportunity to have children, but I’ve tried to make my life as complete as possible.”
Hilary Mantel remarked on how her sickness impacted her marriage:
“My sickness and the crises it caused were too tough for us to overcome, and we split up and divorced for a few years.”
What exactly is endometriosis and what are its symptoms?
Endometriosis is a painful illness in which tissues that are intended to develop within your uterus grow outside. During each menstrual cycle, endometrial-like tissues swell, break down, and bleed. However, since endometriosis prevents the tissues from leaving the body, they get stuck.
When endometriosis affects the ovaries, endometriomas, also known as endometrial cysts, may form. As a consequence, the tissue in the affected region may become inflamed, leading to the formation of scar tissue and adhesions. Difficult menstrual periods, heavy bleeding, painful urination, painful bowel motions, and infertility are common symptoms. Many individuals have moderate endometriosis with considerable pain, whereas others have advanced endometriosis with little or no discomfort.
