Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o has once again spoken candidly about her long and painful struggle with fibroids, revealing the size of the tumours and the emotional toll the condition has taken on her life.
In a statement shared on her official social media account on Thursday, February 26, 2026, the Oscar-winning star disclosed that her largest fibroid is the size of an orange, while the smallest are comparable to blueberries.
“Common Didn’t Make It Okay”
Lupita revealed that 12 years ago, a doctor informed her that she had tumours growing inside her. She was told they were fibroids — benign tumours that develop in and around the uterus.
“12 years ago, a doctor told me I had tumours growing inside me. So when you have fibroids, doctors usually use fruits to explain what size your fibroids are,” Lupita shared.
“Your fibroids could be the size of a grape. My biggest fibroid is the size of an orange, and the smallest are the size of blueberries.”
Although doctors reassured her that fibroids are common and non-cancerous, Lupita said that reassurance did not lessen the physical pain and emotional burden she carried.
“He called them ‘fibroids’ – benign tumors that grow in and around the uterus, and reassured me they were common. ‘Common’ didn’t make it okay,” she added.
Breaking the Silence After a Decade
The actress revealed that in July last year, she ended more than a decade of suffering in silence by publicly sharing her diagnosis for the first time. The response from women around the world was overwhelming.
“Last July, I ended a decade-plus of suffering in silence and publicly shared my diagnosis for the first time. Women worldwide responded with their own stories. I felt less alone, and more convinced than ever that this is not something we should accept,” she said.
Calling for Better Understanding and Research
Lupita questioned why a condition affecting so many women remains poorly understood and often surrounded by silence and misinformation.
“There’s something deeply wrong when a condition this widespread is this poorly understood. Do you accept this as the status quo? Neither do I,” she stated.
She added that speaking out has been empowering, connecting her with a community of women who have long advocated for better research, awareness, and support.
“Speaking up has really empowered me. I have found community, and I have locked arms with women who have been fighting this fight for the longest time,” she noted.
Lupita’s continued advocacy is helping shine a global spotlight on fibroids and the need for greater medical research and open conversations around women’s health.
