Oscar Winner Reveals Secret Health Struggle and She’s Demanding Change

Lupita Nyong’o is breaking her silence—and calling out the medical system—after quietly battling a painful condition for more than a decade.

In an emotional Instagram post on July 15, the 42-year-old Oscar-winning actress revealed that she’s been living with uterine fibroids since 2014, the same year she won her Academy Award for 12 Years a Slave. Since then, she’s undergone multiple surgeries to remove a staggering 30 fibroids.

“It’s only a matter of time until they grow again,” she said, quoting her doctor—words that haunted her for years.

Fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that grow in the uterus and can cause severe pain, heavy bleeding, and complications during sex. They’re incredibly common, especially among Black women—8 out of 10 will develop them by age 50, according to MedlinePlus.

Tired of suffering in silence, Nyong’o is now using her platform to spark real change. She’s partnering with the Foundation for Women’s Health to fund new research into both invasive and non-invasive treatments for fibroids.

She’s also joining forces with several Black women lawmakers—including Reps. Shontel Brown, Yvette D. Clarke, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Robin Kelly, as well as Senators Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester—to support the reintroduction of The U-FIGHT Act, a bill aimed at boosting research funding, improving early detection, and expanding treatment options.

“No more suffering in silence,” Nyong’o wrote in her post, urging the public to stop normalizing women’s pain. “We must prioritize this chronic condition.”

Her powerful message struck a nerve online. Thousands took to the comments to share their own stories and offer support. “Reproductive justice is power 🙏🏽,” one person wrote. Another said, “I had NO idea this many women deal with fibroids! This is NOT normal!!”

Actress Jessica Alba also weighed in, writing, “You are so brave for sharing—we need more funding for women’s health.”

Nyong’o’s brave reveal isn’t just personal—it’s political. And she’s hoping it sparks the kind of change women have waited far too long to see.