4 days ago
Lupita Nyong'o reveals uterine fibroid battle
Lupita Nyong'o has revealed she has spent more than a decade fighting uterine fibroids.
The Oscar winner shared details of her longtime struggle with the chronic condition in a candid Instagram post and explained she learned of her diagnosis more than a decade ago.
"In March 2014, I won an Academy Award. That same year, I discovered I had uterine fibroids," Lupita, 42, wrote on 15 July.
"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'."
Lupita went on to explain that fibroids are "non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus" but that while they might be far from rare, with "8 out of 10 Black women" and "7 out of 10 white women" experiencing fibroids, they were infrequently discussed.
"When we reach puberty, we're taught that periods mean pain, and that pain is simply part of being a woman," she wrote.
"I started talking about my experience privately, and I realized so many women are going through this. We're struggling alone with something that affects most of us. No more suffering in silence!"
To that end, Lupita explained, she had joined forces with a group of congresswomen with the aim of legislating funding for research, early detection and treatment.
