Los Angeles, United States — Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o is using her global platform to raise awareness about women’s health — especially uterine fibroids — after publicly sharing her own long-term struggles with the condition.
During a February 25 appearance on the Today show, the 42-year-old revealed that her uterine fibroids — non-cancerous tumours that develop in the uterus — have returned and now number more than 50, with the largest being about the size of an orange. The condition can cause painful symptoms including heavy bleeding, pelvic pain, and pressure on other organs.
“I felt shame,” Nyong’o said in the interview, recalling her initial reaction to the diagnosis. “What did I do to cause them? And then I felt very alone and quite scared for my reproductive health.”
From Personal Struggle to Public Advocacy
The actress first learned she had fibroids in 2014 — the same year she won an Academy Award for 12 Years a Slave — and had 23 fibroids surgically removed. She has been candid about how isolating the experience felt before she began speaking out.
Now, Nyong’o is pushing for broader dialogue about the condition, advocating for better research, awareness, and less invasive treatment options. She has partnered with organisations focused on women’s health, including launching or supporting campaigns like Make Fibroids Count, to transform how fibroids are understood and treated globally.
“It’s high time we speak up to ensure that this is no longer trivialised and it’s no longer considered normal just because it’s common,” she said.
Impact Beyond Hollywood
Nyong’o’s openness has resonated with many women who live with the condition but rarely see it discussed publicly. By lending her voice and visibility, she hopes to reduce stigma, encourage community support, and push for medical advances that could help millions of women around the world who face similar diagnoses.
Her efforts highlight an important conversation about women’s reproductive health, the need for better education and care options, and the power of sharing lived experiences to create change.
