A Year of Breaking Barriers, Building Community, and Demanding Change
As we close out 2025, we’re reflecting on a transformative year. From Capitol Hill to international conferences, from virtual support groups to historic roundtables with Hollywood voices and global leaders, the Fibroid Foundation has shown up boldly and unapologetically for the millions of women living with fibroids.
This year, we changed conversations, influenced policy, built bridges across continents, and more. Through it all, we held space for the women at the heart of this work.
Here’s what we accomplished together in 2025.
FEBRUARY: Supporting Women’s Health Conversations and Building Community Connections
The Fibroid Foundation was a gold sponsor for the screening of The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause, hosted by the Washington Center for Women’s & Children’s Wellness. By supporting conversations around menopause, we continue to break down stigmas surrounding all aspects of women’s reproductive health.
We also attended the CBCF Essence Awards Luncheon, strengthening relationships with leaders and advocates committed to advancing health equity for Black women.
MARCH: Expert Conversations on Fibroid Care during Women’s Month
For International Women’s Day, the Fibroid Foundation had the incredible honor of attending “Spilling the Tea on Women’s Health,” an impactful event hosted by The Federal City Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Our founder and CEO, Sateria Venable, shared powerful insights on a panel about the importance of prioritizing women’s health and was deeply honored to receive the M. Joycelyn Elders Mental and Physical Health Award.
We also hosted an impactful Instagram Live conversation with Dr. Pierre Johnson, aka the Fibroid Slayer, about comprehensive fibroid care to assist in providing our community with accessible, expert guidance on treatment options and navigating the healthcare system.
MAY: Menstrual Health Awareness Month
We proudly joined with existing partners to hold our annual Menstrual Health Awareness Month Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill, educating policymakers on the urgent need for fibroid research and equitable care. This briefing is a critical step in building legislative support for national fibroid initiatives.
Building upon that same momentum, we sent a letter co-signed by partnering women’s health organizations to Congressional spouses, discussing the importance of national fibroid legislation and building bipartisan support for this critical issue.
The Fibroid Foundation realized a long-held dream as we had our own booth at ACOG 2025, where our founder connected with physicians to build momentum for our upcoming Physician Portal, as well as strengthen relationships with new and existing colleagues in the medical community.
JUNE: Making Fibroids Unignorable
We launched a bold campaign to make fibroids unignorable, raising awareness ahead of Fibroid Awareness Month with creative, attention-grabbing content designed to break through the noise and force people to see what’s been hidden for too long.
The Fibroid Foundation proudly joined International Paper and Procter & Gamble to assemble period and diaper kits, essential resources that were donated to March of Dimes and Mary’s House to support families and individuals facing basic needs gaps.
Our founder also spoke at the Women in Government National Legislative Conference about the importance of fibroid legislation, educating state leaders on how they can support women’s health at the legislative level.
JULY: Fibroid Awareness Month
July was nothing short of monumental. Fibroid Awareness Month 2025 was our most impactful yet, filled with education, advocacy breakthroughs, historic partnerships, and heartbreaking loss.
We hosted four virtual programs with fibroid experts, providing evidence-based information on topics that matter most to our community:
- Is my period normal?
- How do I interview my physician?
- Can I keep my uterus? The impact of fibroids & surgery on your overall health
- Can this be caused by menopause?
These sessions empowered women with the knowledge and tools to advocate for themselves in medical settings.
During a transformative FAM, the Fibroid Foundation had the incredible honor of participating in a historic roundtable discussion on uterine fibroids, alongside elected officials, advocates, lawmakers, and the powerful voice of award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o. This groundbreaking conversation led directly to a press conference announcing the introduction of the 2025 Fibroid Bill Package, a major milestone in our fight for federal funding and equitable fibroid care.
We also held our first-ever Fibroids on the Hill on Capitol Hill, bringing members of our community directly to legislators to share their personal fibroid stories. These voices reminded lawmakers that fibroids aren’t just a personal issue, but a national crisis that needs to be addressed.
Our founder and CEO was invited to sit down with Ali Rogin from PBS News to discuss the importance of uterine fibroid awareness. The segment aired during Fibroid Awareness Month, reaching a national audience and bringing mainstream attention to fibroids.
We then convened a groundbreaking international conversation at the intersection of science, policy, and advocacy, bringing together global leaders in fibroid research and health equity. The Fibroid Foundation team met with Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke’s office, alongside Dr. Priscilla Day-Walsh and Jasmine Kiley of Cambridge University (UK) and Samira Rafaela, former Member of the European Parliament. This meeting laid the groundwork for future international collaboration on fibroid research and policy.
Honoring Karen Janus
While Fibroid Awareness Month 2025 was transformative for our organization, we also dealt with the unexpected and unimaginable loss of our beloved Director of Development, Karen Janus. Karen was a fierce advocate, a dedicated colleague, and a cherished member of our Fibroid Foundation family. In her honor, we raised money to establish a trust for her grandchildren, ensuring her legacy of compassion and service lives on.
AUGUST: Building Partnerships
Our founder and CEO, Sateria Venable, joined an incredible lineup of health leaders at Touch, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance women’s health hub on Martha’s Vineyard. The event streamed on BlackDoctor.org’s TOUCH Talks Wellness, amplifying important conversations about women’s health to a national audience.
Sateria spoke on the panel “Health is a Family Affair,” a powerful discussion on shifting from reactive to proactive healthcare, a message that resonates deeply with our community.
She also attended the Bayer Black Excellence Brunch, connecting with leaders committed to advancing health equity and innovation.
SEPTEMBER: Celebrating 12 Years of Impact
The Fibroid Foundation turned 12 years old in September. For over a decade, we’ve been the voice for women who were told their pain didn’t matter, who were given no options, who were left to navigate fibroids alone. Twelve years later, we’re stronger, louder, and more determined than ever.
Our founder kicked off our anniversary month by returning to Capitol Hill for a bipartisan Women’s Health Congressional Roundtable to deliver a united message to Congress: Close the Women’s Health Research Gap. She attended alongside advocates including Lupita Nyong’o and Mandy Moore, amplifying the urgent need for federal investment in women’s health research.
We also had the opportunity to attend the 54th Annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference, strengthening our advocacy network and building relationships with leaders committed to health equity for Black women.
Our founder and Buffalo Ambassadors wrapped up our anniversary month in the Big Apple, attending WHAV (Women’s Health Annual Visit), where they connected with physicians about our upcoming Physician Portal, a resource designed to equip healthcare providers with the tools and cultural competency training needed to deliver better fibroid care.
OCTOBER: Menopause Awareness Month
Although we were unable to hold our second Fibroids on the Hill event during the government shutdown, we pivoted quickly to host a powerful virtual online roundtable with members of our community. We discussed real fibroid stories and the critical importance of national fibroid legislation, ensuring our advocacy work continued despite the challenges.
Our founder also spoke on a panel for Women’s Health Horizons titled “The Unseen Impact of Fibroids” in Boston, bringing fibroid awareness to new audiences and continuing the conversation about how fibroids affect women’s lives beyond just physical symptoms.
We were proud to support one of our Maryland ambassadors, Michelle, as she attended and hosted a table at a Blue Cross Blue Shield event in Baltimore, connecting with community members and sharing information about fibroid awareness and the Fibroid Foundation’s work.
NOVEMBER: Global Innovation and Ethics
Our founder and CEO, Sateria Venable, had the privilege of speaking at the Indian Institute of Management Bodh Gaya, alongside our Indian Ambassador, Payal Dey, Ph.D., on the critical topic of AI ethics and innovation in health. This conversation explored how technology and artificial intelligence can advance fibroid diagnosis, treatment, and research on a global scale.
YEAR-ROUND IMPACT
Ambassador Program Relaunch
This year, we relaunched our Ambassador Program, empowering passionate advocates across the country to bring fibroid awareness and education to their local communities. Our ambassadors serve as the face of the Fibroid Foundation in their regions, hosting events, connecting with local healthcare providers, and supporting women navigating their fibroid journeys.
Instagram Live Support Groups
Throughout the year, we hosted several Instagram Live support groups to help women navigate fibroids. These sessions created safe, accessible spaces for women to share their experiences, ask questions, and find community, reminding everyone that no woman should face fibroids alone.
Advocacy on Capitol Hill
We worked tirelessly throughout 2025 advocating on Capitol Hill for national fibroid legislation, building relationships with legislators, educating policymakers, and pushing for the research funding and treatment access that women with fibroids desperately need.
COEQUaL Research Initiative
We worked diligently on the COEQUaL initiative, an NIH-funded specialized research center dedicated to eliminating health disparities in fibroid care. As co-leaders and with our founder serving as co-principal investigator, we continued important work on this five-year project committed to understanding and dismantling the systemic barriers that prevent equitable treatment, especially for Black and African American women.
#FibroidFriday
Biweekly, we continue to share new fibroid research via #FibroidFriday, keeping our community informed about the latest studies, treatment advances, and evidence-based information. This consistent educational content ensures that women have access to accurate, up-to-date information about their condition.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2026
As we close out 2025, we’re not slowing down. We’re preparing for Fibroid Summit 2026, continuing our COEQUaL research, launching our Physician Portal, and pushing harder than ever for national fibroid legislation.
This work is only possible because of you, our community, our advocates, our donors, and our believers. Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for refusing to accept suffering in silence. Thank you for believing that women’s health is not optional, but essential.
Here’s to another year of breaking barriers, demanding change, and improving life for the millions of women living with uterine fibroids.