Years of Dismissed Pain, One Life-Changing Diagnosis
NYC Health + Hospital/Jacobi | North Central Bronx’s exclusive treatment and expert surgery restored health to a Bronx woman after 15 years of suffering from endometriosis
Sep 08, 2026
Bronx, NY – For 15 years, Jennifer Grant endured pelvic pain, severe nausea, and fainting episodes that no doctor could fully explain or treat.
Dismissed at several hospitals, the Bronx woman finally found answers — and relief — at North Central Bronx, where OB-GYN Dr. Daniel Barraez diagnosed and treated a complex case of endometriosis that had gone unaddressed for over a decade.
“I can do things I want to do now. I can stretch. I can jump without feeling anything stabbing my buttocks. I don’t feel the mass anymore,” Grant declared.
Grant, 28, first experienced symptoms in high school around 2012 — excruciating cramps, vomiting, and blackouts she initially believed were normal.
Her condition followed her on a trip to California, where a medical crisis so severe that a resident nurse called 911 went untreated due to insurance complications, forcing her to manage the pain with over-the-counter medication.
“At one point, I passed out. And so, my RN, she actually called 911, and they got me to the hospital,” recalled Grant who has agreed to be photographed from behind to protect her privacy.
“They couldn’t do anything about it, because I was in another state and it was a tussle out there with my insurance. So, I bought some painkillers and went about my day.”
When Grant was referred to North Central Bronx and met Dr. Barraez, her path finally changed. Imaging revealed a seven-centimeter endometrioma in a uniquely dangerous location — the third space between the rectum and the pelvis — with the mass extending into her vagina.
“Before she came to North Central Bronx, she saw several providers and was complaining about pelvic pain for years, and nobody took her seriously,” said Dr. Barraez.
“When she finally arrived here, we found a seven-centimeter endometrioma. That was the turning point. We had to coordinate surgery, medical treatments, and her recovery, which was very complex because of the location of the mass.”
Treatment required two surgeries.
In the first, Dr. Barraez removed endometriosis that had extended into Grant’s vagina, immediately relieving the intense pressure she had been feeling.
The second, more complex surgery — performed in coordination with general surgery due to concerns about rectal and bowel involvement — removed the remaining mass behind the vagina.
Before either surgery, Dr. Barraez placed Grant on Zoladex, a hormonal medication exclusively available among NYC Health + Hospitals facilities at North Central Bronx. The treatment decreased the size of the endometrioma by more than 50 percent, significantly reducing damage to surrounding organs and making surgery safer and easier to perform.
“Zoladex is something being offered at NCB that is not being offered at any other NYC Health + Hospitals facility — and we are lucky to have it here for our patients,” Dr. Barraez explained. “Just by using it, we reduced the size of the endometrioma by more than 50%, which made surgery easier to perform because there was less damage to the surrounding organs.”
Grant, who once dreamed of joining the military but was held back by chronic illness, can now stretch, jump, and move without pain. She no longer feels the mass that once made basic movement unbearable. She also now has the option to pursue pregnancy.
“We now have a patient who is not in pain every single day — she can go back to work, she can have a normal life. And in the future, she wants to get pregnant, and she definitely has that option available to her because of the removal of that mass,” Dr. Barraez said.
“Dr. Daniel Barraez is one of the best OB-GYNs I’ve ever met,” said Grant. “I’ve seen so many doctors who were dismissive — he was the opposite of them all. I felt seen, I felt heard. I feel so much better. I’ve never experienced this kind of freedom since I was really little.”
Earlier this year, NYC Health + Hospitals announced its new Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Program, led by Dr. Barraez and Dr. Vijay Palvia. The program provides continuity of care with a robust team of physicians, surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, mental health providers, and social workers. Treatment can include hormonal medication, multimodal pain medication, pelvic floor physical therapy, lifestyle medicine interventions, and surgery. Patients can be referred to the Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Program from a NYC Health + Hospitals gynecology practice. Patients can make an appointment by calling 1-844-NYC-4NYC.
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Contact: Rawle Titus, 332- 259-2512, titusr@nychhc.org
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx
The Jacobi campus of NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx is a 457-bed teaching hospital affiliated with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The facility has earned numerous Center of Excellence designations, accreditation, and recognition for its renowned Level 1 Trauma Center, Burn Center, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, regional Stroke Center, Snakebite Treatment Center, Breast Health Center, Bariatric Surgery Center, and Cancer Service. The facility also offers the region’s only multi-person hyperbaric chamber, allowing up to nine patients to dive together at one time. Jacobi’s Ambulatory Care Pavilion is a stunning complement to its inpatient acute care, allowing staff to provide patients with high-quality service in a modern, state-of-the-art environment. For more information visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/jacobi/.
The North Central Bronx campus of NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central is a member facility of the NYC Health + Hospitals system, one of eleven acute care facilities within the City of New York. A 215-bed community hospital, North Central Bronx specializes in women’s and children’s services. It also provides Behavioral Health acute and ambulatory care. Its busy outpatient department has led the way in community-based care delivered in a compassionate and culturally-appropriate manner. Its Labor and Delivery service safely brings more than 1,000 babies into the world each year. North Central Bronx is committed to providing safe, high-quality medical care for any and all in need. For more information visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/north-central-bronx/.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth — all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.