A SEARCH FOR SELF- ACCEPTANCE
Berkshire Life|August 2020
Ally Hensley talks openly about her experience with MRKH and how she’s learnt what it means to be different, and why she’s now creating awareness, advocacy and peer support
SARAH RODI
A SEARCH FOR SELF- ACCEPTANCE

“When I was 16, like any other girl, I was expecting some changes in my body to start taking place, especially in my first period. It’s a rite of passage into womanhood after all. But my period never came,” says Ally Hensley, who grew up in Pangbourne, Berkshire.

“I went to see my GP and they told me to go away for a year, and to wait and see what happens. But when I returned, I was given an internal exam and the doctor immediately knew something was wrong. I was referred to the Royal Berkshire Hospital for an ultrasound and a laparoscopy, where they used a camera to examine inside my abdomen. When I came round I thought I’d be fixed. But that was not to be. The surgeon pulled the curtain around my bed and drew a diagram of what my reproductive tract looked like...”

That day, Ally was diagnosed with MRKH (Mayer–Rokitansky– Küster–Hauser syndrome), the under-development or absence of the reproductive tract, which affects one in 5,000 women. There is no clear reason why it occurs.

“The surgeon was explaining that externally your body forms normally, but inside, it doesn’t. All I heard was white noise. It was so overwhelming and unexpected. I couldn’t comprehend it,” says Ally. “There I was, in the middle of studying for my A-Levels, already struggling with my teenage years, and then suddenly I was being referred to London for vaginal lengthening. I was basically a child, learning I couldn’t have a child. It interrupted the formation of my self-esteem, my femininity, and my identity. My parents didn’t know what to say, and having your family focussed on something so intimate was embarrassing and terrifying in equal measure.”

This story is from the August 2020 edition of Berkshire Life.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the August 2020 edition of Berkshire Life.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BERKSHIRE LIFEView All
A Home For Keeps - Reader At Home
Berkshire Life

A Home For Keeps - Reader At Home

Alex and James Fielden were looking for a forever home. Their search ended as soon as they pulled up outside this Georgian property in Berkshire

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2020
Duke & Duchess Of Berkshire?
Berkshire Life

Duke & Duchess Of Berkshire?

They are the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge but should they really be the Duke and Duchess of Berkshire, which is, of course, a Royal county?

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2020
A national hero
Berkshire Life

A national hero

He started out like many other children born in Reading, but mention Justin Fletcher to any kid in the land these days and their eyes will light up

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2020
Fruitful thinking
Berkshire Life

Fruitful thinking

Ryan Simpson believes the world is our orchard. A project that began over a pint in his local is making the county more fruity

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2020
THE BERKSHIRE BOMBSHELL
Berkshire Life

THE BERKSHIRE BOMBSHELL

Berkshire has had more than its fair share of famous inhabitants. However, few had such an explosive reputation as Diana Dors

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2020
“I'll always be a Berkshire girl”
Berkshire Life

“I'll always be a Berkshire girl”

Despite her international acclaim as the star of TV’s Tracy Beaker, Dani Harmer has never strayed far from her roots

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2020
Remembering the fallen
Berkshire Life

Remembering the fallen

The most destructive war in human history lasted for six years and cost 60 million lives, the majority non-combatants. It is easy to understand why those who had survived wanted to celebrate the end of that conflict

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2020
HIDDEN WONDERS
Berkshire Life

HIDDEN WONDERS

Berkshire photographer Matt Emmett has made it his mission to explore the forgotten architecture and heritage many people miss in their home towns

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2020
EXPLORING BERKSHIRE - Majestic Maidenhead
Berkshire Life

EXPLORING BERKSHIRE - Majestic Maidenhead

Rejuvenation and revival; two buzz words surrounding the biggest town in the Royal borough. With riverside views and a vibrant arts and dining out scene, this high-class town is well worth a look

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2020
A good grounding
Berkshire Life

A good grounding

Berkshire has some of the best homes in the land, so perhaps it is no coincidence that the nation’s favourite property guru went to school in Wokingham

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2020