Kenyan Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o/SCREENGRABOscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o has revealed her decade-long struggle with uterine fibroids, marking a powerful moment during Fibroid Awareness Month by sharing her story and calling for action.
Nyong’o first discovered 30 uterine fibroids in 2014—the same year she won her Academy Award for 12 Years a Slave.
After undergoing surgery to remove them, she learned from her doctor that these non‑cancerous growths are likely to recur.
As she shared in an Instagram post: “You can’t. It’s only a matter of time … until they grow again.”
Fibroids, which can range from pea- to melon-sized, affect 8 out of 10 black women and 7 out of 10 white women by age 50.
Symptoms vary from heavy menstrual bleeding and anemia to pelvic pain and complications in pregnancy.
Nyong’o described how pain was normalised from puberty onward: “We’re taught that periods mean pain, and that pain is simply part of being a woman,” she wrote.
Realising many women endure the condition in silence, she decided to go public.
“No more suffering in silence!” she declared, urging society to treat fibroids as a serious health issue—not just bad luck.
She emphasized the need for early education, improved screening, prevention research, and less invasive treatments.
“We need to stop treating this massive issue like a series of unfortunate coincidences. We must reject the normalisation of female pain. I envision a future with early education for teenagers, better screening protocols, robust prevention research, and less invasive treatments for uterine fibroids.”
To drive progress, Nyong’o has partnered with the Foundation for Women’s Health to launch the FWH x Lupita Nyong’o Uterine Fibroid Research Grant, aimed at fostering minimally invasive treatments. Foundation for Women's Health
She has also joined forces with U.S. lawmakers—including Congresswomen Shontel Brown, Yvette Clarke, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Robin Kelly and Senators Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt—to introduce legislation that would expand fibroid research funding, boost early detection, and raise public awareness.
"Today, I joined Congresswomen @repshontel, @repyvetteclarke, @repbonnie, @reprobinkelly and Senators @sen_alsobrooks and @senlbr in Washington DC to introduce a package of uterine fibroid Congressional bills. These bills would expand research funding, increase early detection and interventions for uterine fibroids, study the causes of uterine cancer, and increase public awareness.," Lupita said.
Nyong’o’s personal journey stands as both testimony and call to action.
She ended her push by urging others to “study women’s health and prioritise this chronic condition.”
“We deserve better. It’s time to demand it,” she proclaims.
