*Lupita Nyong’o is using her platform to shed light on a health struggle that has followed her for over a decade. The acclaimed actress sat down with the “Today” show on February 25, pulling back the curtain on a fibroid condition that has grown significantly more complex since she was first diagnosed in 2014.
The growths were surgically addressed at the time, but they have since returned in far greater numbers. “The first time I got the fibroids taken out, they took out 23,” she said on the morning show, PEOPLE reports. “And this time, I’ve been informed two years ago that I have over 50.”
Fibroids, which are typically non-cancerous growths in or around the uterus, impact many women. The Office of Women’s Health states that 20% to 80% of women will develop them at some point. Symptoms vary but often include heavy bleeding, pelvic pain, anemia, and potential pregnancy complications. “We’re struggling alone with something that affects most of us. No more suffering in silence!” Nyong’o previously stated in an Instagram post.
During her “Today” appearance, Nyong’o gave a vivid sense of just how advanced her condition has become. “When you have fibroids, doctors usually use fruit to explain to you what size your fibroids are,” she said. “So your fibroid could be the size of a grape. My biggest fibroid is the size of an orange.”
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Nyong’o noted that she has not moved forward with a myomectomy, a procedure designed to remove fibroid growths while leaving the uterus undamaged. “I’m not ready to make that decision,” she shared. “It’s quite invasive… and it’s a big threat to our reproductive organs.”
Opening up publicly has proven to be a turning point for Nyong’o, who once carried the weight of her diagnosis largely in silence. “I felt shame. What did I do to cause them? And I felt very alone and quite scared for my reproductive health,” she said. The response she received after speaking out changed everything. “I’m excited right now because speaking up has really empowered me,” she said. “I’ve found community. I’ve locked arms with women who have been fighting this fight for a long time.”
That wave of solidarity has fueled her ongoing efforts. “There’s a lot of power in speaking up,” she added. “I spoke up and the amount of support I got hearing women say ‘me too’ and share their stories made me feel less alone and it’s honestly what has bolstered me to do the work that I do now.”
Part of that work includes fundraising to advance research into treatment approaches that are far less physically demanding than current surgical options. “I think it’s high time we speak up to ensure that this is no longer trivialized and it’s no longer considered normal just because it’s common,” she said.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Lupita Nyong’o Calls for Fibroid Research and Reform After Revealing Her Personal Battle
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