Lupita Nyong’o shares her journey with uterine fibroids and advocates for awareness
Lupita Nyong’o opens up about her struggles with fibroids.
Image: Instagram/@metgalaofficial_
Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o took to Instagram to share her deeply personal struggle with uterine fibroids, revealing she underwent surgery in 2014 to remove 30 benign growths.
She aims to spark a much-needed conversation about a condition that is common yet often unspoken.
The 42-year-old Black Panther star hopes it will resonate with anyone who has felt "dismissed, confused or alone".
Nyong’o first discovered she had uterine fibroids in 2014, the same year she won the Oscar Award for Best Supporting Actress for her debut film, 12 Years a Slave.
In the post, she explains that fibroids are non-cancerous tumours that develop in or on the uterus, capable of causing debilitating symptoms such as heavy and prolonged periods, pelvic pain, and bladder issues.
Nyong’o herself experienced painful periods, which she, like many women, initially believed were "simply part of being a woman".
This normalisation of female pain is precisely what she is determined to challenge.
Despite the high prevalence of fibroids, which affects eight to ten black women and seven out of ten white women by age 50, Nyong’o noted how little the condition is discussed.
According to her post, after her surgery, her doctor informed her that "it’s only a matter of time until they grow again," highlighting the chronic nature of the condition.
Realising that "so many women are going through this" in silence, she declared, "No more suffering in silence!".
To drive change, Nyong’o has partnered with the Foundation for Women’s Health (FWH) to establish the FWH x Lupita Nyong’o Uterine Fibroid Research Grant.
This initiative seeks to accelerate the development of "minimally invasive, or non-invasive treatments" for uterine fibroids, aiming to improve the quality of life for the estimated 15 million patients suffering in the U.S. alone.
Furthermore, on July 15, she joined Congresswomen and Senators on Capitol Hill to introduce bills that would fund crucial research into the condition.
Nyong’o envisions a future marked by "early education for teenagers, better screening protocols, robust prevention research, and less invasive treatments" for uterine fibroids.
Her advocacy underscores a powerful message: "We deserve better. It’s time to demand it. Silence serves no one!".
IOL Lifestyle