Breaking the Silence

How Intergenerational Trauma and Cultural Norms Fuel Fibroid Disparities in Black Communities

July is Fibroids Awareness Month, a time to shine a light on uterine fibroids, non-cancerous growths that affect millions of women, particularly those of African descent.

Black women are two to three times more likely to develop fibroids than White women, often at younger ages, with more severe symptoms like heavy bleeding, debilitating pain, anaemia and fertility challenges. Yet, many suffer in silence.

One of the biggest barriers is not just biology or healthcare access, it is the intergenerational and cultural norms that teach women to endure rather than speak up.

The Normalisation of Pain Across Generations

In many Black families, heavy periods and pelvic pain have long been dismissed as “just a woman’s burden” or “bad cramps.” 

Mothers and grandmothers who endured fibroids without a name for them often passed down this resilience as survival. Younger women inherit the assumption that suffering is normal, delaying diagnosis until symptoms become unbearable, sometimes leading to emergency surgeries or hysterectomies.

This pattern appears across the Diaspora. In African and Caribbean communities, cultural taboos around discussing reproductive health can deepen the silence. Pain becomes something to “pray through” or “push past,” rather than investigate.

One woman shared on social media during Awareness Month: “A year ago I never thought fibroids would be my story… it changed my whole life.”

Her experience echoes countless others who only connected the dots after multiple doctors’ visits or hearing a family member’s belated admission.

Regional Differences:

US Openness, UK Challenges and Diaspora Realities

The United States has seen stronger celebrity-driven openness. Voices like actress Lupita Nyong’o and advocates such as Tanika Gray Valbrun (founder of The White Dress Project) and Sateria Venable (CEO of The Fibroid Foundation) have brought fibroids into mainstream conversations.

Valbrun’s organisation has pushed legislation recognising July as Fibroid Awareness Month in multiple places, while Venable emphasises preparing women post-diagnosis.

Social media and community events amplify personal stories, helping younger generations challenge old norms.

In the UK, Black women (particularly of African and Caribbean descent) face a different dynamic. Reports from groups like the Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN) highlight delays, misdiagnosis and dismissal within the NHS, despite theoretical universal access.

Cultural norms of endurance persist, but there is growing momentum through targeted health reports calling for culturally competent care.

Across the broader Diaspora, in Africa, the Caribbean and migrant communities, limited healthcare resources and stronger traditional stigmas can mean even later intervention. Migration to the US or UK sometimes improves access but doesn’t automatically erase ingrained family patterns of silence.

Sateria Venable has noted the fear and isolation many feel upon diagnosis, stressing the need for education so women aren’t caught off guard. Tanika Gray Valbrun’s work with storytelling (symbolised by wearing white to represent freedom from heavy bleeding stigma) shows how sharing breaks isolation and drives policy change.

Dawn Heels, founder "My Journey Series"

In the UK Dawn Heels is one of the most prominent fibroid advocate. She had 16 fibroids removed via open myomectomy in 2022 and turned her experience into a mission founding The Guidance Suite where she delivers her “My Fibroid Journey" series.

Other Notable Voices in the UK include organisations like 'Wellbeing of Women' who play a vital role through their broader menstrual health campaigns, such as “Just a Period,” which spotlight fibroids during Awareness Month and feature powerful patient stories of symptoms being dismissed as “just normal” heavy periods.

Clinicians and researchers linked to the Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN) and the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Black Health further underscore the earlier onset and greater severity among African and Caribbean women, while calling for targeted education and culturally competent care.

Together, these voices complement the powerful personal advocacy of Dawn Heels, who often states that “This is not just a call for awareness, it’s a demand for justice,” urging women to move from quiet endurance to empowered self-advocacy. CAHN’s survey data, revealing that over 50% of Black women waited two or more years for diagnosis and 27% received no treatment  provides stark UK-specific evidence of how cultural normalisation and healthcare dismissal intersect.

While the US benefits from high-profile celebrity openness, the UK is building momentum through policy-focused efforts by the APPG and CAHN, creating a growing bridge between lived experience and systemic change.

Practical Tips for Family Conversations

Breaking cycles starts at home. Here’s how to start:

Ask open questions: “Mom/Auntie, did you ever deal with really heavy periods or pain that affected your daily life?”  Frame it as curiosity, not accusation.

Share facts gently: Mention that fibroids are common (up to 80% of Black women by age 50) and treatable, especially when caught early. Tie it to family history as a risk factor.

Focus on empowerment:  Emphasise options beyond surgery, like minimally invasive treatments, lifestyle changes and Vitamin D awareness (deficiency is linked to higher risk in Black women).

Involve younger generations: Make it a multi-generational discussion. Encourage daughters, nieces and sisters to track symptoms and advocate at doctor visits.

Use resources: Point to The White Dress Project, Fibroid Foundation, or local events for credible information.

These conversations reduce shame and turn inherited trauma into collective strength.

Empowerment Through Awareness

Intergenerational silence is not inevitable. During Fibroids Awareness Month and beyond, sharing stories, demanding better research and supporting one another can shift cultural norms. Awareness saves lives, preserves fertility and improves quality of life. By naming the issue, fibroids, we reclaim power from pain.

What Next?

This Fibroids Awareness Month, commit to one conversation with a woman in your family about reproductive health. Share this article, follow organisations like The White Dress Project (@wecanwearwhite) and Fibroid Foundation.

Do not forget to get your Vitamin D levels checked if you are at risk. If you’re experiencing symptoms (heavy bleeding, pelvic pain, fatigue), do not wait, advocate for an ultrasound or specialist referral. Together, we can turn silence into solutions.

---

Like comment and share with a loved one and start the dialogue today. Your voice could break a cycle for the next generation.

Sources drawn from advocacy reports, studies on fibroid disparities and patient experiences. Always consult a healthcare provider for medical advice.