Hey ladies – can we talk for a moment? Gabbing about fashion and beauty always makes for a good time, but sometimes we’ve gotta get really real about what’s going on in our lives. I just discovered July is Fibroid Awareness Month, and I definitely plan to take part because I have a personal connection.
I’ll share a little bit of personal info about me – I’ve battled fibroids for years. Some big, some small, but always accompanied with pelvic pain and heavy periods. I recently learned that up to 80% of women will experience fibroids by the age of 50.1 Let that sink in – almost all women are dealing with this. And, another statistic I’ve always known is that African American women are three times more likely to experience fibroids than women of other races.2
I personally know quite a few women who have been impacted by fibroids. And although there are various treatment options, most women think they have to resort to the extreme in order to relieve the pain (like a hysterectomy). That’s not the case – there are effective alternatives for treating fibroids that are safe, minimally invasive and do not require removal of the uterus. Let’s learn the facts from Jessica Shepherd, M.D., a minimally invasive gynecologist at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. [Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cdub5viSHw&t=2s].
Like I mentioned earlier, fibroids can cause a great deal of pain and discomfort. I’ve experienced it in the past. Luckily, I’ve been able to better manage them. But this July, Change the Cycle is encouraging women who suffer from fibroids to take their power back! Change the Cycle is an online community, funded and developed by Hologic, Inc, a leading global women’s healthcare and diagnostics company, for women with heavy periods and fibroids to share their personal challenges and find solutions. You can learn more about causes, and potential treatment options through a variety of fun and empowering content. I wish a website like this existed long ago when I first became aware of my fibroids!
Change the Cycle is encouraging women to feel emboldened to take control of their heavy periods and wear white for Fibroid Awareness Month. Many women tend to stay away from wearing white during their cycles due to fear and embarrassment from accidents resulting from heavy bleeding. Change the Cycle, who partners with the White Dress Project, a non-profit organization that supports fibroid research, to help women build connections and find solutions, wants women to proudly rock the color white, as symbol of strength and empowerment.
If you or someone you know has personal experience with fibroids, Change the Cycle wants women to share the reason they’re wearing white and why spreading awareness is important to them. Share your story on social media, using the hashtag #WhyIWearWhite and let’s empower all women to take control of their fibroids and stop letting them run our lives!
Join the movement at www.changethecycle.com / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
REFERENCES
- Uterine fibroids: Overview. Mayo Clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/uterine-fibroids/home/ovc-20212509. Accessed April 25, 2017.
- Stewart EA, Nicholson WK, Bradley L, Borah BJ. The Burden of Uterine Fibroids for African-American Women: Results of a National Survey. Journal of Women’s Health. 2013;22(10):807-816. doi:10.1089/jwh.2013.4334.
Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by Hologic via Momtrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Hologic or Momtrends.
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Outfit details: One-shoulder top / Paperbag waist palazzo pants / Gold mules / Bangles / Green bamboo handbag
Photos: Ksenia Pro Photo
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