Lupita Nyong’o Reveals Fibroid Surgery and Launches Grant

Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o is shedding light on a hidden women’s health issue that she says nearly derailed her career. In a deeply personal disclosure shared during Fibroid Awareness Month, the Black Panther star revealed she underwent surgery to remove 30 uterine fibroids shortly after her 2014 Oscar win. Now, she’s using her platform to launch a research grant and urge society to break its silence around women’s pain.

Nyong’o said she experienced severe symptoms—bloating, fatigue, and chronic discomfort—that were initially dismissed or normalized. It wasn’t until the pain became debilitating that doctors discovered dozens of fibroids in her uterus. A surgical procedure was performed to remove them, but Nyong’o was warned they may return.

“What strikes me most now is how long I accepted the pain,” she wrote in an op-ed. “We are taught that pain is part of womanhood—so we stay silent.”

Fibroids, though non-cancerous, affect millions of women and disproportionately impact Black women. Despite the prevalence, research remains underfunded, and treatment options are often invasive or limited.

To change that, Nyong’o has partnered with the Foundation for Women’s Health to launch the FWH x Lupita Nyong’o Uterine Fibroid Research Grant, which will fund proposals aimed at finding less invasive, more effective treatments for the condition.

Her advocacy doesn’t stop there. The actress is also working with members of Congress to introduce a legislative package that would increase federal funding for fibroid research, improve early detection, and boost awareness.

“This is not just about me,” Nyong’o stated. “It’s about the millions of women who suffer in silence. That silence ends now.”

Through her candor and activism, Nyong’o hopes to reframe the way society treats women’s health—not as an afterthought, but as a priority.