It’s been a harrowing year dealing with health crisis after health crisis, including multiple concussions and surgery for extreme endometriosis. The 24-year-old talent racked up some solid results competing on the WSL Qualifying Series last season. Sadly, overwhelming symptoms affected both her artistry and wellbeing.
Robinson had extreme pain associated with her endometriosis. On the first day of her menstrual cycle, she suffered from severe vomiting and fevers over 104 degrees. She further suffered from chronic back pain, extreme fatigue, and chronic illness, which were made worse by her history of concussions. These health complications led her to depend on painkillers to treat her symptoms just to get through each day.
Last summer, Robinson had surgery to excise her stage three endometriosis and a large cyst on her left ovary. Little did she know, this procedure would become a turning point in her health journey. Reflecting on the impact of her condition, she expressed, “It was debilitating. Every time I was trying to compete, and I knew that maybe my period would overlap, it was going to be really difficult for me and it did impact my career a lot.”
A New Chapter After Surgery
After undergoing surgery, Robinson spoke of the exhalation of relief that came from not having these toxic elements in her body.
“The best thing I did was get (endometriosis) surgery, get all of that toxic stuff removed from my body.” – India Robinson
She said it was a game changer when she figured out her treatable condition existed. “Once I realized that (endometriosis) can be addressed, it can be fixed, and now I’ve been through that and I’m on the other side of it, it’s the biggest game changer,” she stated.
She had a concussion in July of last year that eventually forced Robinson to reassess her health priorities. This reset provided an opportunity to focus on the recovery and get in touch with her body’s needs.
Returning to Competition
Robinson is looking to recapture her magic on home turf, as she returns to the WSL Challenger Series. Beyond regaining her competitive surfing status, she aims through this journey to develop herself more as an athlete. In 2023, she achieved the ultimate victory of being crowned the Challenger Series Champion, a victory representing all of her hard work and perseverance.
“After everything that I’ve been through, I have an overwhelming gratitude for both my love for surfing and competing and get to travel the world, doing what I love is so special,” Robinson mentioned.
This sparked Robinson’s desire to educate and address the pressures that accompany being a female athlete in today’s world. She called attention to the struggle that young women are dealing with on issues of body image and the pressures of social media.
“By scrolling on Instagram and comparing yourself to some model in America, is that gonna take you towards your goal of becoming the next Matilda star?” – India Robinson
She told girls to know their value beyond what society tells them. “Give girls the tools they can use every single day to help them stay connected with who they are and what’s important to them, rather than being sucked into something that they don’t want to do,” she said.
The Reality of Endometriosis
Endometriosis affects an estimated 14 percent of those assigned female at birth. Sadly, it often takes them on average six to eight years to receive a correct diagnosis. Robinson’s journey underscores the importance of awareness regarding this condition and its impact on athletes’ lives.
Though these obstacles have been difficult to overcome, Robinson isn’t giving up on her dream anytime soon. She urges them to use common sense in making decisions and to look beyond the self-evident to see what makes real difference. “It’s being really logical and opening their eyes to what decisions they’re making,” she noted.
