Jo Barry knows what it means to live with chronic pain. Diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis and adenomyosis after years of being dismissed and misdiagnosed, she turned her experience into a mission: to help others feel less alone and more supported through their pain. Her creation, the rae Heat Pad, is a product born not out of a boardroom, but out of necessity – a sleek, wearable, USB-rechargeable device that offers long-lasting, targeted heat for period and pelvic pain. With a curved, ultra-slim design that fits discreetly under clothes or inside Scarlet’s Period Pocket Underwear, rae delivers up to five hours of relief at temperatures up to 50°C. It’s also splash-proof, sustainable, and designed with real-life users in mind.
Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women of reproductive age globally, yet it takes an average of eight years to receive a diagnosis in the UK, often due to the normalisation of menstrual pain and a lack of awareness among healthcare providers. Jo’s story is not uncommon – but it’s powerful in its honesty and determination.
Adenomyosis, though less widely known, is no less debilitating. It’s a condition where endometrial tissue grows into the muscular wall of the uterus, and it often co-exists with endometriosis. Research estimates that around 20–35% of people assigned female at birth may have adenomyosis, though it’s underdiagnosed due to limited awareness and overlapping symptoms (Chapron et al., 2020).
In anticipation of Menstrual Hygiene Day on 28th May, Jo shares her journey through pain, surgery, and early menopause – and how she channelled it all into a product that not only soothes, but represents a shift in how we approach period self-care.
You created the rae Heat Pad following a diagnosis of stage 4 endometriosis and major surgery as treatment. Can you tell us about where your struggle with endometriosis began?
My struggle started long before I had the language for it. I was 10 years old, on school camp, when a wave of pain hit me so hard I thought I was dying. I didn’t even know what a period was yet. For years following, I bled heavily, passed clots, vomited from the pain, and assumed it was just “normal.” No one told me otherwise. And I didn’t ask. I pushed through school, work, relationships, all while carrying the weight of invisible pain because that’s what I thought I had to do.
It wasn’t until my 20s and 30s that I started demanding answers. I was constantly dismissed, handed scripts for the pill, and told to “just manage it.” Eventually, after years of advocacy, I was diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis and adenomyosis, which led to multiple surgeries, seven rounds of IVF, early menopause from Zoladex, and, ultimately, a radical hysterectomy. I lost my uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, part of my bowel and ureter (the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder) – and the future I thought I’d have.
Scarlet and the rae Heat Pad were born from that experience, not as a business, but to turn pain into purpose. I was tired of being let down by a system that didn’t understand me. I wanted to create better period self-care products that would help others on the daily. rae isn’t just a heat pad, it’s a symbol of me taking my power back.
It’s no secret that endometriosis is regularly misdiagnosed, and many women with the condition feel unheard by their doctors. How long did it take for you to get diagnosed, and were there any challenges in obtaining a diagnosis?
It took over a decade for me to receive a proper diagnosis, and even then, it was barely mentioned. I had my first laparoscopy in 1999 after collapsing from pain. They found a tumour and removed it, but endometriosis was only referenced in passing. No one explained what it was, how it could progress, or what I should expect. I was told to stay on the pill until I wanted kids, and that was the extent of my “treatment plan.”
For years, I was dismissed, misdiagnosed, and made to feel like I was overreacting. I was handed scripts for the pill, told the pain was “just part of being a woman,” and encouraged to push through. That kind of gaslighting isn’t just frustrating, it’s dangerous. By the time I was properly diagnosed with stage 4 endo, the damage was extensive. I lost my uterus, fallopian tubes, part of my bowel, and my chance at having children. The hardest part wasn’t just the physical pain but the ongoing emotional toll of being ignored.
Endometriosis affects individual women differently. Some women can manage it with hormonal contraception, others find their symptoms are greatly relieved by laparoscopy. Your treatment required a hysterectomy – can you tell us how that decision was made, and how you came to terms with it?
The hysterectomy was a long time coming. I did everything I could to avoid it – seven laparoscopies, a laparotomy, hormone therapy, even three brutal six-month rounds of Zoladex. For those who don’t know, Zoladex is a cancer drug used off-label to treat endo by shutting down estrogen production. It basically puts you into medical menopause. The side effects were intense – hot flushes, headaches, nausea, hair loss, and big time burnout. But I was desperate to preserve my fertility and kept pushing through.
Eventually, though, the pain was relentless. My body – and my life – were shattered. I couldn’t work. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t function. As devastating as it was, the hysterectomy became the only real option left to give me back any quality of life.
What I didn’t expect was the way surgical menopause hit me – literally overnight. The anxiety and depression came on fast, and I felt like a stranger in my own body. Thankfully, with the help of HRT (I now take a tailored mix of estrogen and progesterone), I’ve found a new balance. I’m 90% pain-free, and I finally have some of my life back.
It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was right for me.
Some women undergoing hysterectomy surgery worry about gender identity, and how they will connect with womanhood without a womb. What impact (if any) did your hysterectomy have on your connection with your identity as a woman?
Honestly, that wasn’t my focus. I was in so much pain – physically and emotionally – that I just needed to survive. That sounds dramatic – but it is what it was… Endo and adeno had taken over every part of my life. My only goal was to get back to some version of normal, and the hysterectomy was the only path left. For me, being a woman has never been defined by a uterus. I didn’t feel any less female after surgery – I felt like I was finally reclaiming my life.
That said, what hit much harder was coming to terms with the loss of fertility. That grief cut deeper than the physical recovery ever could. Letting go of the dream of becoming a mother was something I had to sit with, work through, and eventually learn to make peace with. It took time and a lot of reframing to understand that my worth – and womanhood – weren’t tied to my ability to have children.
If anything, this journey has strengthened my identity, not taken away from it. It’s shaped the way I lead Scarlet. It’s why I created rae. Because no one should have to suffer in silence, question their experience, or feel unsupported in their pain.
Out of all of this came a product that can change how women manage period pain, as well as pain from endometriosis and adenomyosis. Can you tell us about the moment you dreamed up the rae Heat Pad?
There wasn’t a lightning-bolt moment, it was born from sheer frustration. I was burning through disposable heat patches just to get through the day, often using a few a day for a 10+ day bleed. It was expensive, wasteful, and still didn’t really support me in the way I needed. I remember sitting at my desk – yet again – with a stick-on patch under my clothes and thinking: There has to be a better way.
I’d tried everything: wheat bags, electric pads, stick-ons, but they were all clunky, unsafe, ugly, or unreliable. I searched high and low for a reusable option that was discreet, wearable, and actually worked. But nothing existed. So I decided to create it myself.
rae was built from scratch with two brilliant engineering teams in Melbourne. We didn’t just slap a logo on something off the shelf – we developed it thoughtfully, obsessively, testing every prototype with real people. It’s slim, soft, rechargeable, and powerful. It’s designed to move with you, not hold you back.
More than anything, I wanted something that felt like modern self-care – not a medical device. Something that looked good, felt good, and actually helped. That’s what rae is. And honestly, it’s one of the hardest and proudest things I’ve ever done.
rae is a product created for women by a woman. Did either of these facts become hurdles in your journey to producing rae or bringing it to market?
Absolutely, it became a hurdle more than once. Developing a tech product in a male-dominated space meant I was often met with blank stares or condescending nods. I’ve sat in pitch meetings where someone would bring their one female team member along as “she would relate”. Periods, pelvic pain – these aren’t niche issues. Pain is pain, and it shouldn’t take personal experience for someone to understand that people deserve better solutions.
And then there’s the nuance of language. While rae was born from my own experience with periods, endo and adeno, I’m very aware that not everyone who experiences pelvic pain identifies as female, and not everyone with endo even bleeds. That matters. So while my story is very much a woman’s story, rae is designed to support anyone dealing with pain in that part of their body. Full stop.
There’s also this pressure, especially in the wellness space, to slap a pink label on something and call it “feminine care.” I didn’t want that. I didn’t just want to reskin an off-the-shelf device – I wanted to build something from scratch. A product that looked beautiful, worked powerfully, and genuinely helped people feel seen and supported.
So yes, being a woman building a product for people like me came with hurdles. But it also gave rae its heart. And that’s something no pitch meeting could ever take away.
What makes rae different from other heat pads on the market?
Honestly – everything 😊 This isn’t an off-the-shelf product with a logo slapped on like most on the market. rae was built from the ground up, based on lived experience. I spent nearly three years testing, refining, and perfecting every detail. We ran countless focus groups, went through dozens of prototypes, and didn’t stop until the product was brilliant.
rae is made with high-grade silicone, is PFAS-free, rechargeable, and designed to be worn discreetly under clothes. It’s slim, silent, splash-proof, and powerful, delivering over five hours of soothing, targeted heat when used on low. And just as importantly, it looks and feels like something you want to use. Because why should period products be ugly? Lol!
We prioritised safety and performance at every step, testing it across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Europe to meet the highest standards. This wasn’t about flooding the market with another product – it was about building something that truly helps, something I wish I’d had back in the day.
I believe the world doesn’t need more products. It needs better ones. Ones that are purpose-led and high quality (and won’t end up in landfill!!!). And rae is exactly that – a better solution, created with purpose, for people who deserve more.
There’s also a sustainable angle to the rae Heat Pad, as it permanently replaces disposable heat pads! Was this eco-friendly aspect intentional, or a happy accident?
Absolutely, rae was intentionally designed to be a smarter, more sustainable alternative to the disposable heat patches I relied on for years.
At my worst, I was going through multiple boxes of heat patches a month. That’s a mountain of landfill, month after month. It made me feel awful, both physically and environmentally. I hated knowing I was contributing to that level of waste just to get by. And the cost added up fast, too.
So yes, rae was always meant to be different. It’s rechargeable, reusable, and built to last. You plug it in, power it up, and wear it again and again. That means no bins, no guilt, no panic when you run out. That was a non-negotiable from day one.
For me, sustainability isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about building products that make sense for our bodies and the planet. I wanted rae to be something you could rely on, not just for comfort, but for the long haul.
Women like you are taking feminine health issues into their own hands by creating products like rae. Do you think this is an indication that women are tired of ‘Big Tech’ and ‘Big Pharma’ not meeting their needs?
HECK yes. People are tired of being handed pink plastic, blue liquid, and outdated advice from those who’ve never lived in their bodies. Femtech is finally being driven by those of us who get it – because we’ve had to.
Women, and anyone who experiences periods or pelvic pain, have been ignored for too long. We’re done being told to just “deal with it.” We’re demanding better, and we’re building it ourselves. (That’s pretty bloody exciting!)
I created rae not because I wanted to be in product development, but because I was desperate for a solution that worked, one that respected my experience and didn’t feel like an afterthought.
What are your hopes for rae and Scarlet over the next five years?
Over the next five years, my hope is for rae to become the go-to device for period self-care. But beyond that, I want Scarlet to be more than a brand. I want it to be a movement. We’re already expanding our self-care range, but my bigger vision is to create a whole ecosystem of smart, thoughtful products, designed through lived experience, that support people throughout their cycle. I want us to lead the conversation on menstrual and pelvic health, to invest in education, to back clinical research, and to partner with organisations fighting for real change.
I hope Scarlet will one day be known not just for great design but also for its purpose. I want us to make period self-care something people look forward to, not just tolerate. I want people to feel less alone, like they have options, a community, and a brand that gives a damn.
Jo’s top tips for period pain
Number one – build your toolkit. That means different things for different people, but mine was:
• Heat (rae obvs!)
• Magnesium spray for muscle relaxation
• Pelvic physio, which helped me learn how to release tension I didn’t even realise I was holding
• And movement, even gentle stretching or walking, when I can manage it
Then there’s the emotional side. You need a support network, whether that’s friends, family, or the strangers in Facebook groups who end up knowing more about your uterus than your GP. Honestly, those online communities were my lifeline during some of the darkest moments.
Advocate for yourself. Speak up!! No one knows your body like you do. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t let anyone brush it off. Keep asking questions.
Lastly, talk. Talk about your pain. Talk about your period. Talk about the mental load. The more we speak up, the more we shift the narrative – because we’ve been quiet for way too long.
Shop Scarlet and the rae Heat Pad
