Like many young women, the Yartapuulti defender had never considered that her symptoms could be a sign of something more.
“I had no idea what endometriosis was when I was younger,” Germech said.
“I just thought that the period pain that I was having was normal and it wasn't anything to be worried about, not that I might have endometriosis.”
It was only after joining Port Adelaide and having more open conversations about the pain she was experiencing with club medical staff that the possibility of endometriosis was raised.
From there, the 23-year-old underwent scans at Jones Radiology, ultimately providing answers to something she had spent years believing was normal.
“My journey was probably a little bit easier than some,” Germech said.
“Some people have those eight or nine years where they have no answers. I thought that my period pain was normal, but when I arrived at Port I started having a few more conversations about the period pain that I was having.
“It was sort of said maybe I do have endometriosis, so went to the GP and our doctors here at the club to have those conversations and get the scans at Jones Radiology.”
For Germech, having a diagnosis has meant more than simply putting a name to the pain.
It has given her the confidence to communicate when she isn't feeling her best, while knowing she has the support of those around her.
“I think just having answers and knowing that it isn't normal,” she said.
“I think professionally, I can share at the club if I'm not feeling 100 per cent. If I'm really having a bad flare-up the coaches will understand that it's okay, and that's not going to impact my performance on the weekend or anything like that.
“It is just that I'm having a bad endometriosis flare-up, and that I'll probably be okay in a couple of days, which I really appreciate.”
Now, ahead of Jones Radiology’s Feature Round this weekend, Germech hopes sharing her own experience can help encourage more conversations about endometriosis, particularly among young girls who may be experiencing symptoms without understanding what they mean.
“I think just drawing that awareness, especially because young girls probably don't have the conversations, or I know that I wasn't having those kinds of conversations when I was younger about what constitutes a ‘normal’ period,” she said.
“It's really important, I think, to get those conversations out there that the period pain that some people might be having isn't actually normal.”
Germech believes those conversations should extend beyond the individual, encouraging parents to listen when their daughters speak up about pain or symptoms that don't feel right.
“I think it's incredibly important that the parents listen. Young girls might not be having those conversations at school or with their friends or anything.
“I think if someone's coming to you asking, ‘Can I go to the doctor because this isn't normal?’ I think it's really important that we listen and sort of get those diagnoses a little bit earlier instead of those, like I said before, seven, eight or nine-year processes.”
Her message is simple: don't dismiss the pain, and don't be afraid to ask questions.
“My advice would be to have those conversations early as well, and then if you do think that something is wrong, going in to see your GP and asking them for referral to Jones Radiology to get those scans done.”
For Germech, starting that conversation has made a difference, both personally and professionally.
And by sharing her story, she hopes another young girl experiencing unexplained or debilitating period pain might recognise that it doesn't simply have to be something she puts up with.
