Spare Me: Real Talk for Compassionate Care for Black Women with Uterine Fibroids

Uterine fibroids touch the lives of a significant number of us, being non-cancerous growths developing in the uterus and appearing more prevalently in Black women. In fact, around 80% of us will experience uterine fibroids by the age of 50, according to the National Institutes of Health.
We at the Black Women's Health Imperative understand the gravity of this issue in our community. That’s why we brought real, unfiltered conversations to the table in our "Spare Me: Real Talk for Compassionate Care for Black Women with Uterine Fibroids" conference.
During this empowering day:
💫 Real Stories: We heard heart-to-heart from patients sharing their personal journeys
💫 Myth Busting: We demystified common misunderstandings surrounding fibroids
💫 Latest Developments: We updated you on the latest in research and policy strides
We aimed to foster a space of compassion, understanding, and informed discourse - because when we stand together, we stand stronger. Dive into the candid, powerful conversations and be part of the movement toward better health and understanding.
00:00 Intro Paula Green Smith
01:09 Marissa Mitchell intros Linda Goler Blount
01:25 Linda Goler Blount - Why This Conversation Matters
04:55 Fibroids 101 and How to Advocate For Yourself with Dr. Charis Chambers
16:13 The Media's Role with Adrianna Hopkins and Amy Yurkanin
31:14 Policymakers as Partners with Nisha Thanawala, Charlyn Stanberry, Nadia Laniyan,
Mervyn Jones
51:08 Patient Story - Lenee Redus-Carson
1:01:59 The State of Research Treatment and Equity with Dr. Erica Marsh
1:23:09 From Pain to Advocacy with Cynthia Bailey, Tanika Gray Valbrun and Dr. Charis Chambers
For a deeper understanding and resources to navigate fibroids, visit www.fibroids.bwhi.org.
Featured Participants:
💫 Linda Goler Blount, MPH
President and CEO Black Women’s Health Imperative
💫 Cynthia Bailey
American Model, Reality Television Personality, and Actress
💫 Marissa Mitchell
Award Winning News Anchor
💫 Paula Green-Smith, MA
Vice President Training and TA
💫 Tanika Gray Valbrun
Founder The White Dress Project
💫 Erica E. Marsh, MD, MSCI
FACOG Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Michigan Medical School and Chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
💫 Charis Chambers, MD
Board Certified OBGYN
💫 Lenee M. Reedus-Carson, MBA
Senior Program Manager and Master Trainer, BWHI
💫 Adrianna Hopkins
Emmy Award-winning Anchor and Reporter WJLA
💫 Amy Yurkanin
Award Winning Journalist
💫 Nisha Thanawala
Legislative Assistant for Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke
💫 Charlyn Stanberry
Vice President of Govt. Relations, NAB
💫 Nadia Laniyan
Health Legislative Assistant Office of Senator Corey Booker
💫 Mervyn Jones
Managing Director of Government Strategy and Cyber Security Ankura Consulting Group