Lupita Nyong’o is speaking up about a health issue many women face but rarely talk about, uterine fibroids. In an emotional Instagram post shared on july 15, the Oscar-winning actress revealed that she has been battling fibroids for over 10 years and had surgery in 2014 to remove 30 of them, the same year she won her Academy Award for 12 Years a Slave.
“In March 2014, I won an Academy Award. That same year, I discovered that I had uterine fibroids,” she wrote. “30 fibroids. I had surgery to remove them. I asked my doctor if I could do anything to prevent them from recurring. She said: ‘You can’t. It’s only a matter of time until they grow again.’”
Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus. They can cause heavy bleeding, severe cramps, and other painful symptoms. Lupita pointed out how common they are, saying, “8 out of 10 Black women and 7 out of 10 white women will experience fibroids. Yet we speak so little of them.”
The Black Panther star shared that for years she believed pain was simply part of being female. “When we reach puberty, we’re taught that periods mean pain, and that pain is simply part of being a woman,” she wrote.
But after opening up to others, she realised, “so many women are going through this. We’re struggling alone with something that affects most of us.” Determined to change that, Lupita boldly declared, “No more suffering in silence” She added, “We need to stop treating this massive issue like a series of unfortunate coincidences. We must reject the normalisation of female pain.
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I envision a future with early education for teenagers, better screening protocols, robust prevention research, and less invasive treatments for uterine fibroids.”
To turn her words into action, the 42-year-old actress has partnered with the Foundation for Women’s Health to launch the FWH x Lupita Nyong’o Uterine Fibroid Research Grant.
The goal is to fund research for less invasive treatments and improve the quality of life for millions of women worldwide.
She also took her advocacy to Capitol Hill, joining U.S. Congresswomen and Senators to push for bills that will fund more research, improve early detection, and raise awareness about uterine fibroids.
She end her post by saying , “I hope my experience will resonate with anyone else who has ever felt dismissed, confused or alone. And I hope to seek answers for the far too many women dealing with uterine fibroids. We deserve better. It’s time to demand it. Silence serves no one“
