Karen Duffy is an American writer, model, television personality and actress.

She was diagnosed with endometriosis in 1998. She says ''For years, I smiled for the cameras and hid how I felt. I did what too many women do - wrote off my period pain as just part of being a woman. I thought I knew everything about being a female until I realised what I thought were regular monthly cramps, weren't regular at all. Finally, I took control of my monthly pain and had a serious talk with my doctor. And what that doctor found changed my life. It turned out my period wasn't the problem, endometriosis was.''

 In 1995, Duffy was diagnosed with the disease neurosarcoidosis. Since then, she's written two books about her experience living with chronic pain.

Karen has one son, Jack, who was born via a surrogate in 2003.


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