Lupita Nyong'o Shares Heartfelt Account of Uterine Fibroids Struggle on 43rd Birthday
Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o marked her 43rd birthday on Sunday by publishing an emotional and deeply personal essay about her ongoing battle with uterine fibroids. The 12 Years a Slave star took to Instagram, where she addressed her 11.3 million followers with candid reflections on her health journey.
A Visual Representation of a Hidden Burden
In her post, Nyong'o disclosed a staggering medical reality. "Over the course of my lifetime, I have carried 77 uterine fibroids: 25 surgically removed, and more than 50 still growing inside me today, the largest the size of an orange," she wrote. To illustrate this invisible burden, she included an MRI image and a powerful photograph of herself holding a basket filled with 77 pieces of fruit, each symbolising one fibroid.
She explained that this visual metaphor was intended to "make visible the weight that I, and millions of women like me, carry every day." Nyong'o emphasised that her story is not uncommon, but rather "just a rarely told one," detailing seasons of constant pain, dangerous monthly blood loss, and silent suffering.
From Personal Struggle to Public Advocacy
The actress first publicly revealed her diagnosis in 2025, a disclosure that triggered an overwhelming response. Women from across the globe reached out with similar stories, creating a sense of shared experience and community. This avalanche of solidarity inspired Nyong'o to transform her personal challenge into a public health campaign.
She has now partnered with the Foundation for Women's Health to launch #MakeFibroidsCount and the website MakeFibroidsCount.org. The initiative aims to raise crucial funds and awareness for uterine fibroid research. "My birthday wish is a world where no woman has to suffer through fibroids untreated, undertreated, or unheard," Nyong'o stated. "To get there, we need research. And research needs funding."
Empowerment Through Awareness and Action
Appearing on the Today Show, Nyong'o expressed feeling "really empowered" by her advocacy work. "I've found community," she said. "I've locked arms with women who have been fighting this fight for a long time. And we get to raise this money... and actually have women who are most affected, participate in the solution we long to find."
She called on her followers to support the cause, asking, "Will you give a gift that truly matters? Every dollar goes toward research that could change or even save a woman's life. Maybe someone you love." Nyong'o believes that sharing these stories is key to progress. "By sharing our stories that's how we actually make this issue unavoidable, so that we are no longer neglecting it and we're dealing with it head on," she concluded.
Uterine fibroids, as defined by the Cleveland Clinic, are common noncancerous tumours that grow in or on the uterus. While not all cause symptoms, they can lead to heavy menstrual bleeding, back pain, frequent urination, and pain during sex. Nyong'o's powerful advocacy shines a light on a condition affecting millions, urging for greater research, funding, and open conversation in women's healthcare.
