With the London Marathon set to take place on Sunday, Women’s Health Hope and Fold7 are piggybacking on the event to highlight the marathon wait times on the NHS for gynaecological care.

The ‘Painathon’ campaign draws attention to the 27,000 people waiting over a year to see a gynaecologist and the 260,000 women waiting longer than the NHS’s 18-week target. Using the marathon as a springboard for the campaign, the Painathon draws parallels to the endurance and length of time faced by women who are living in pain.

Out of home executions feature real women in chronic pain, wearing bibs printed not with race numbers, but their own actual NHS wait times. The photos have been placed along the London Marathon route. 

Award-winning photographer Georgie Wileman, who also has severe endometriosis, captured the campaign imagery. Evie Lapworth and Nathalie Meagan-Blake, who feature in the campaign, are both living with endometriosis and other conditions worsened by delayed care. Evie is a trustee of Women’s Health Hope, while Nathalie is a vocal women’s health advocate.

The campaign was created by Fold7 creatives Philippa Baines and Dan Burkitt, who were inspired by Philippa’s personal experience. The goal is to raise £27,000 in honour of the 27,000 women in year-long limbo. Proceeds will fund support and advocacy through Women’s Health Hope.

The UK has the widest gender health gap in the G20 and ranks 12th globally for women’s health. The campaign urges donations via the Women’s Health Hope’s Just Giving page. Women affected can join the Painathon by setting up their own fundraiser, where many are unable to run in the marathon due to their conditions, the Painathon gives them an alternative way to help raise money.

Speaking on the campaign, Monica Thomas, Founder of Women’s Health Hope, says: “As a small charity, every penny raised will make a real and lasting difference in helping us drive our mission forward. As someone living with Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, Lichen Sclerosus, and other chronic conditions, I know all too well the pain, exhaustion, and isolation that so many women face - often in silence. These are illnesses that disproportionately, and often exclusively, impact women, yet they continue to be overlooked and underfunded. Through this campaign, we’re not only raising vital funds and awareness, but we’re also sending a clear message to the government: it’s time to take women’s health seriously, and to go further in turning commitments into meaningful change.”

A customisable Instagram bib sticker has been created to encourage women to share their stories and drive donations via Just Giving.

Shining a light on the impact of marathon NHS wait times, the campaign capitalises on the cultural firepower of the London Marathon to encourage people to donate and help to eliminate inequalities in the healthcare system.