Student told severe period pain was ‘normal’ creates app after endometriosis diagnosis

A university graduate diagnosed with endometriosis after having her pain dismissed for years has won an award for an app designed to help other women better understand their symptoms.

Data engineer Emily Youngs was crowned winner of the Create Change Challenge at the 2026 Converge Awards for WombWise, which uses data from wearable technology such as smartwatches to identify patterns linked to chronic pain conditions.

The app aims to give women with conditions including endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) evidence about their symptoms, which they can take to their GP, as well as the impact they have on everyday activities such as work, school and sport.

The idea was inspired by Emily’s own experience of painful and heavy periods from a young age, which she says she was repeatedly told were normal.

She began developing the idea while studying a master’s in data engineering at Edinburgh Napier University.

I was told ‘this is normal, just go on the pill’

Emily demonstrates the WombWise app STV News

She told STV News: “When I first got my period, it was so heavy. I was fainting, and I was really struggling at school. I had to leave gymnastics and swimming, which I’d done since I was three years old.

“I went to the doctor and was told, ‘This is normal, just go on the pill.’ I went through my whole life thinking it was normal.”

Over the following 15 years, Emily continued to experience symptoms and was told she had conditions including IBS and anxiety. She was later diagnosed with endometriosis, including bowel endometriosis.

“Even if you get told you have the disease, there’s not a lot you can do about that as there’s no cure,” she said.

“But I wanted to find a solution to make people’s lives better.”

Emily went on to study a master’s degree in data engineering with the aim of creating something specifically for women’s pain.

Emily is launching a pilot test for the app in January 2027 STV News

She began by testing the concept using her own wearable data.

Emily says using her own personal data, and with the help of her gynaecologist, helped identify a suspected cyst on her left ovary.

She has since collected data from around 100 people to test it further. The next stage is a pilot study set to open in January.

“I want to give women the data to prove their pain is real, to understand what’s happening in their body and give them tools to manage pain and symptoms a lot better.

“I kept thinking, ‘Why has this not been done before? Surely other people have thought about it?’ It was surreal to have the opportunity to help a lot of other people.”

Emily said her work has also helped open up conversations among friends, family and colleagues and challenge the stigma surrounding women’s pain.

“People are excited about a solution. They’re reasonably cautious, which makes sense, but also excited about the idea. At last, it’s being spoken about.

“We want people to be able to see that if your pain is impacting your day-to-day life, sport, or struggling at work or school, that isn’t normal.”

The project has received financial and business support through Converge, including funding, which Emily said will directly support the upcoming pilot study.

She hopes the technology will ultimately contribute to a better understanding of how endometriosis affects people’s lives and provide useful information for patients, workplaces and healthcare providers.

“Historically, there’s a lot for ovulation and pregnancy, but not really apps for pain,” she added.

“The main hope for the future is to give individual people the tools to advocate for themselves. If you know yourself that your pain is severe, trust your instincts”.

‘Tech that tackles real people’s problems’

Converge executive director Adam Kosterka says the firm is “absolutely delighted” by Emily’s achievement.

“Emily’s project is a powerful example of what can happen when lived experience, technology, and ambition combine to tackle real-world problems.

“The judges who selected Emily as the winner were very impressed with the solution, what it can deliver and the positive impact on the users.

“It’s really important to offer early-stage support to early-stage innovators because these are the companies that will contribute in the future to Scotland’s economy, and will also deliver impact to society and the environment, both here in Scotland and across the world.

“I think how quickly the project has accelerated over the last 12 months shows the enthusiasm and passion for what Emily is developing.

“I hope this will be another great success story.”