The final result of Aberdeen Miss GB opens up painful signs of time as she waits years to be assessed

Poppy Harris spent seven years living with excruciating pain and frequent visits to doctors before being diagnosed, and now she wants to raise awareness about the condition.

An Aberdeen student is using her place at the Miss Great Britain Glasgow 2026 finals to raise awareness of endometriosis after her symptoms started aged just 13.

Poppy Harris, from Aberdeen who now lives in Edinburgh, will compete in Great Britain in Glasgow in May.

While taking part in the pageant is a new experience for the 21-year-old, she says the stage is about more than just competing on stage.

Poppy first developed symptoms of endometriosis when she was a teenager, and spent seven years living with excruciating pain and frequent visits to doctors before she was diagnosed.

Endometriosis affects 1.5 million women and is assigned to women at birth, and is where cells similar to the lining of the uterus grow in other parts of the body.

During her teenage years, Poppy says she often felt confused and unsure of what was going on with her body. This situation also forced her to give up the activities she loved, including competitive cheerleading.

Now a student who also works part-time in a hotel, Poppy uses her platform in the competition to campaign for awareness and better education in schools on this issue, to acknowledge the unaccepted and earlier education about women’s health conditions.

Her campaign is called “Not the End-o the World” and focuses on encouraging schools to include conditions such as endometriosis in the curriculum as well as sex education, and to encourage finding peace in that you will never receive a diagnosis for the rest of your life, but enjoy the good days.

Poppy also admits that the lack of information available at a young age made her journey more difficult than it needed to be.

She said: “I grew up not knowing what was wrong with me. If we had been educated about conditions like endometriosis earlier, many girls would not feel so confused or alone.”

Through her campaign, Poppy hopes to visit more schools than she already has and talk to young people about women’s health. Her long-term goal is to see conditions like endometriosis more widely covered in education so that future generations are better informed.

Alongside her awareness work, she is planning to host a series of charity events during her Miss Great Britain tour, starting with her first event on April 30 at the Pilgrim Bar in Edinburgh.

Poppy explained: “I’m not doing this journey for myself. I’m doing it for all the women who have sat through so many medical appointments and still don’t have answers, and for the women who finally do and don’t know what to do with themselves.

“It’s so important for women who are a part of any community to feel visible, and to see someone like them on such a big stage. If I can do it, anyone can.

“Your wounds and your illness don’t define you – and I’m not going to be put in a box and buried anymore.”

Poppy also wants to highlight the emotional reality of living with a chronic condition. She says raising awareness is not only about education but also about changing the conversation about what life with endometriosis can look like.

“I’m not just campaigning for change in the education system. I also want to shine a light on the fact that it’s okay to have good days and bad days in this situation.

“It’s okay not to be okay with a painful lifelong diagnosis, but your life can still look like anything you want. Don’t let your illness control your life. It’s okay to give a day or two every now and then, it’s okay to feel angry, frustrated, hurt and unhappy with the way you look and feel because of your illness, but you have to hold space for these positive emotions and to look at these ideals.

“My journey with endometriosis has taught me so much about being compassionate, kind, understanding and not judging a book by its cover. It broke my heart, but it made me who I am today, someone I can be proud of.”

Poppy says entering the pageant has also been about challenging ideas about beauty and confidence. He said he hasn’t changed anything about himself to compete.

“When I step on stage I’ll have my surgery and hot water bottle scars, and I’m proud of them. They don’t slow anyone down.

“Confidence doesn’t come from starving yourself or pushing your body too far. It comes from treating your body as your best friend. My body can easily train, so that’s what you’re going to get.

“This is who I am and I’m ready to show women who don’t have the same scars as me but have any scars, to tell the story of your life. What a privilege it is that we’ve gone through what we have and still come out on the other side smiling.

“It’s a privilege to have learned everything I have about the way I carry myself and the way I treat others, and how I now view beauty standards.”

Alongside the competition Poppy is raising money for two organizations that supported her after her diagnosis. She is raising money for Nicola’s Women’s Life Support and Endo Warriors in West Lothian and plans to split all funds equally between the two groups.

Poppy has been documenting her journey with endometriosis on social media, sharing candid pre- and post-surgery videos on TikTok and Instagram, discussing everything from post-surgery health tips to her recommendations for dressing well. She hopes her story will inspire other women not to feel defined by their condition.

“I want women to know that they are beyond their illness, their bad days, their scars or how they look. I went from feeling bad after I found out who I am, and now I step on the stage as a beauty queen.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t have been able to do this if I hadn’t fallen down first. If sharing my story helps even one woman feel less alone, then it’s worth it.

“Whether it’s an old woman with a lifelong struggle or a little girl who just started her period and is confused, I’m here. Let’s enjoy this crazy ride together because it’s for all of you. You all matter.”

If she wins the Miss Great Britain title in Glasgow in May, Poppy will go on to compete in the Miss Great Britain national finals in October.

Supporters can follow her journey, charity events and fundraising on Instagram @popssharris and @nottheend_otheworld and on TikTok @popsharriss.