Bindi Irwin wants those struggling with their health to stay strong.
At a gala dinner in honor of his late father, Steve Irwin, at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on Saturday. Crikey! These Irwins She spoke with PEOPLE about her health at the time of her diagnosis of endometriosis.
Regarding what he learned from the experience, 24-year-old Irwin told PEOPLE: “You have to defend yourself. You can’t take no for an answer because most of the time I know I’ve had this for 10 years. You feel that way. You’re defeated when you can’t find an answer, and it’s really scary.”
He continued, “I know about endometriosis, the sad thing is that most of the time it doesn’t come out on any scan. I’ve had every scan in the sun and nothing came up. It wasn’t until he had exploratory surgery. He knew what was going on.”
“That’s why you have to stay strong and surround yourself with people who love you and will be there for you no matter what. It’s really scary when you don’t have answers,” Irwin said.
One’s mother added: “You may feel so alone. You may feel so alone, but you have to hold on no matter what and keep looking for answers. This is extremely important.”
“I think we live in an age of so much information and yet it’s easy to feel alone, which is really hard,” Irwin told PEOPLE. “So find people who will love you unconditionally and never give up on that hope because it’s very important to defend yourself and make this year the year of your health.”
RELATED VIDEO: Bindi Irwin Reveals She Has Endometriosis After 10 Years of ‘Unspeakable’ Pain: ‘On the Road to Recovery’
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In March, Irwin announced on Instagram that she was diagnosed with endometriosis, a reproductive condition in which uterine tissue grows outside of the uterus, causing cramps and chronic pain.
By sharing a photo of her taken in her hospital bed, she admitted that she wasn’t sure if she wanted to publicly discuss her health, but felt a responsibility to share her story for other women who ultimately needed help.
On Friday, Irwin shared an Instagram video answering fans’ questions about his history of endometriosis.
She detailed when she first started “noticing” the symptoms at age 14: She would feel “extreme tiredness, nausea and pain” which intensified even more after giving birth to her daughter, Grace, in 2021.
Irwin said it wasn’t until he shared his friend Leslie’s history of endometriosis that his symptoms were numb and he realized what it was. In December, she decided to have surgery during the holidays when they found 37 lesions and a cyst on her ovary and got a second one.
He finally thanked his fans for their interest and questions on his journey: “I hope this video can shed some light on my story to help you or someone you know struggling with this disease.”