Kathryn Donavan, 40, opened Môr A Sawna near Jackson’s Bay, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, in June 2024.
She had struggled with premenstrual dysphoric disorder, external (PMDD) and endometriosis, using cold water therapy to help manage her symptoms.
After having surgery to remove parts of her womb, she noticed her conditions would flare up more frequently, sometimes leaving her unable to get out of bed.
“I was in so much pain,” Donavan said, adding that she began developing flu-like symptoms.
It was then she began looking into alternative treatments to help manage her pain and symptoms, and began visiting a sauna an hour and a half from where she lived.
Wondering why one wasn’t more accessible, she decided to open her own outdoor sauna and since then said her health conditions have become more manageable.
“I don’t get pain anywhere near as intense as I used to,” she said.
Donavan said visitors to her sauna came for a range of reasons, including those looking for a sense of community or to escape a feeling of isolation.
“We’ve got quite a few people who use it regularly because of various health conditions and it helps them sleep better and move easier.
“I just think sauna is a way of life – it’s not a fad, it is a place to unwind and destress or be social,” she added.