Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o has opened up about a deeply personal and painful health struggle, revealing that she currently has more than 50 uterine fibroids far more than she’s ever publicly discussed before.
In a candid interview on The Today Show, the 42-year-old star explained that her fibroids noncancerous growths that form in or on the uterus first appeared in 2014, the same year she won her Academy Award for 12 Years a Slave. After having 23 removed back then, she was recently informed that her condition has returned with more than 50 growths this time.
Describing how doctors use fruit to explain the size of fibroids, Lupita revealed that her largest one is roughly the size of an orange, illustrating just how intense her situation has become. Faced with the choice between another invasive surgery or living with the painful symptoms, she shared that she hasn’t yet decided which path to take noting the tough emotional and physical decisions involved.
For years, Lupita said she felt alone and ashamed about her condition, unsure of what it meant for her future and reproductive health. But speaking out has changed that, helping her connect with other women facing similar battles and sparking a broader conversation about a condition that affects millions of women but is rarely discussed openly.
Alongside sharing her story, she’s using her platform to advocate for awareness, support and better research into less invasive treatment options encouraging women not to feel isolated by their health challenges.
