I battled my disease silently for 10 years - now I'm helping others and am up for a Pride of Britain award

This took a toll on her mentally and physically, but she continued with life studying fashion design at university and then working full-time in 3D fashion despite living with the painful condition. In 2019 her diagnosis changed everything – she pledged to herself, and the other millions of women the condition impacts, to use her creative skills to help those affected. 

Roya is on a mission to advocate for endometriosis, which impacts one in 10 women worldwide, and raise more awareness of the condition amongst different communities. From her office in central Manchester Roya created FemWear,  a fashion brand aimed at women with gynaecological health and gut conditions. 

This was achieved through support from The King’s Trust, and she has been nominated for the King’s Trust Young Achiever Award at the Pride of Britain Awards. This recognises the accomplishments of a young person who has turned their life around against the odds after being supported by His Majesty The King’s charity and is now giving back to their local community by helping others do the same.

Roya said: “The Trust’s programme gave me invaluable insight into starting my own business. I was given clear roadmaps to follow which made everything feel manageable and not overwhelming. Launching a business can be financially challenging especially if you’re working with clothing like me, so The Trust’s grant was essential to helping me cover the start-up costs. I was also paired with a business mentor.

“Before starting FemWear, I was working 60-hours most weeks so had to suppress the pain I was in, and I could not take a lot of time off to attend the many medical appointments I had. My time and talent were also not being used towards empowering women at all which is my passion.

“Now, as an entrepreneur, I can prioritise my health needs when I need to. Having this flexibility is invaluable. I am so fulfilled with what I do every day, and the impact I make on women who live with pelvic pain, like myself, feels like a dream. I make their pain more bearable with the comfort that our garments provide.  

“By turning my experience into a powerful product, my goal is two-fold. The first is to give women, who live with endometriosis, access to clothing which fits their bodies and offers the comfort they require. The second is to raise awareness of the condition and create a safe space where women don’t feel they have to suppress their health needs in the workplace.”   

Roya takes part in retreats, panel discussions and hosts free outdoor walks for those experiencing period pain to inform people about the importance of women’s health conditions.

"I aim to foster a sense of community through my advocacy for endometriosis and create clothing for women with pelvic pain, but I was unsure how to turn that vision into a profitable business model. Thanks to The Trust, I felt empowered to achieve this."

In the future, Roya would like to create employment opportunities for women with such health needs too. 

She said: "It’s such an honour to have my work recognised; it feels both surreal and deeply emotional. The journey to create FemWear was never easy but I’m so proud that I stayed true to my vow not to let barriers define me and that I’ve been able to share my journey to inspire others along the way. I am grateful for The Trust's support and anyone who believed in my vision of helping others, from the get-go. 

"It’s not just about me — it’s about everyone in the endo community. These are millions of women worldwide who fight daily battles with invisible conditions while still showing up for work, attending countless medical appointments in search of answers, caring for their families, and striving to lead a 'normal' life. I feel incredibly grateful to be part of something that brings attention to these important conversations and celebrates those working to create meaningful change.

"My ambition is to continue offering innovative, ethically made clothing options for women with pelvic conditions, while hosting free events where women can come together and celebrate the resilience and strength of these warriors as they connect with one another. I am dedicated to our FemWear Gifts programme for anyone undergoing pelvic surgery and, in the future, I'd also like to create job opportunities for ethical fashion enthusiasts, regardless of their health challenges.”

• The Pride of Britain Awards takes place in London and is the biggest awards show of its kind on British TV. It will be broadcast on ITV1 on Thursday October 24.