Meshed Up- A Nurse's Fight For Healing And Recovery Following Mesh Implant Surgery

A nurse, and mother of four, has released a personal and eye-opening memoir, ‘Meshed Up’, detailing her battle with complications caused by a pelvic mesh implant.

Dawn Martin captures the raw, emotional, and often frustrating reality of challenging the very healthcare system she has worked in for years.

Dawn, who grew up in West Sussex, but now lives in Hampshire, works as a Nurse Practitioner for a GP surgery in Southsea. Since her surgery, Dawn has made it her mission to educate colleagues and patients about the devastating effects of mesh surgery. Dawn says, "If I can stop just one woman from going through this hell, then I will have achieved my goal."

As one of the first members of ‘Sling The Mesh’, a campaign group founded in 2015 to raise awareness about the dangers of pelvic mesh implants, Dawn said: “I wrote the book about the mesh scandal because I had a story to tell, and because I wanted to convey a powerful warning message.”

She continued: “For so long, transvaginal mesh implants were marketed as the ‘gold standard treatment’ for stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. But for thousands of women like me, they’ve caused unimaginable pain and life-changing complications. Fighting for mesh removal was one of the hardest battles of my life—physically, emotionally, and mentally.”

Meshed Up is an unflinching account of Dawn’s journey from a trusted healthcare professional to a patient navigating the system from the other side. The book delves into the realities of living with mesh complications, the struggle to be heard, and the determination it takes to reclaim one’s health.

“Sometimes, suffering is just suffering. It doesn’t make you stronger, and it doesn’t build character—it just hurts,” says Dawn. “I wrote Meshed Up to share my story and to help others feel less alone in their fight for answers and healing.”

“When nurses get sick, they have to navigate the NHS from a new perspective, but beneath the scrubs, nurses are patients too,” said Dawn, who lives in Waterlooville.

“This memoir documents my journey from caregiver to care receiver after mesh surgery and uncovers some shocking truths behind a ‘quick fix’ medical device that rapidly changed from a ‘gold standard treatment’ into a medical nightmare.”

With a blend of honesty, humour, and resilience, Dawn sheds light on the challenges and offers hope to others facing similar battles.

Dawn’s book is available now, and aims to inspire women affected by mesh complications, as well as spark important conversations about patient advocacy and medical accountability.