Public Figures Advocate for Increased Women's Health Funding on Capitol Hill

In a significant move towards advancing women's health, actors and lawmakers gathered at a bipartisan roundtable on Capitol Hill to highlight critical issues surrounding uterine fibroids and maternal health research. Actress Lupita Nyong'o shared her personal journey with uterine fibroids, revealing that her life changed dramatically in 2014 when she was diagnosed with nearly 30 fibroids alongside her Oscar-winning achievement. She described feeling overwhelmed by pain and confusion, having been told that her only options were to endure debilitating symptoms or undergo invasive surgery. Despite undergoing surgery, Nyong'o expressed frustration over the limited treatment options available and the persistent gaps in women's health research.

The event underscored the pressing need for increased federal funding and legislative action to support women's health initiatives. Nyong'o emphasized the importance of valuing women's health and addressing disparities through better research and treatment options. Lawmakers, including Sen. Angela Alsobrooks and Rep. Julia Letlow, recognized that women's health issues are bipartisan and transcendent of political divisions. They discussed several proposed bills aimed at improving early detection and treatment of uterine fibroids and expanding maternal health programs, such as the NIH initiative for research funding and grant programs for states.

Participants called on Congress to prioritize women's health funding, noting that current spending signals a deprioritization of women's well-being. The event advocates for correcting this by supporting legislation that promotes prevention, early diagnosis, and comprehensive treatment for conditions like fibroids, which affect millions of women in the United States. The gathering reflects a broader push to ensure women's pain and health challenges are recognized and funded appropriately, calling for a societal shift towards valuing women's health equally.

This highlights ongoing efforts to close research gaps, improve patient outcomes, and foster bipartisan support to transform federal policies on women’s health. For more information, visit source.