Greetings from the desk of Tanika Gray Valbrun

Hello Friends, Partners, Supporters, and Fibroid Warriors!

We are so pleased to announce our partnership with Healthy Women! Healthy Women is an organization on a mission to educate women ages 35 to 64 to make informed health choices. They are ‘committed to educating women to make informed health choices by connecting with women through fact-based, expert-sourced content, and creative evidence-based programming. They keep women's health part of the national dialogue by raising awareness to decision-makers about the impact health policy has on women and families. And they work collaboratively with partner organizations and alliances to reach more women.’ We couldn’t agree more with their mission and the work they are doing.

At the White Dress Project, we are providing our warriors with a sense of community that is of the utmost importance to us. We want every person living with fibroids to feel supported and empowered during their journey. We empower people, like you, to share your story, to help break down the walls of silence and to shatter the stigma, and demystify the myths around fibroids. But the important thing to remember is that we are not just our fibroids. We are dynamic and bold and beautiful and intelligent people. We lead full lives and help to inspire others to do the same. We are warriors!

Through our collective work we have developed content, with the goals of illustrating life with fibroids, and educating the community in an effort t encourage self-advocacy and strengthen the patient-physician relationship and interaction. The tools will be available as open-access tools and resources, both throughout the program and after the program concludes.

Thank you for being and learning more about our work!

We are excited about what we will do together!

Let’s GO!

Tanika

Clinically Speaking: Ways to advocate for your health!

Fibroid Resource List

Fibroids are abnormal growths that develop in or on a woman's uterus. In some cases, no signs or symptoms are present, but if the tumors become extremely enlarged, women can experience severe abdominal pain and heavy periods. Although the cause of fibroids is still unknown, up to 80% of women experience fibroids by the age of 50 and African American women suffer from fibroids 2 to 3 times more than white women at a younger age and often more severely. For more information on fibroids, contact your healthcare provider and visit the resources provided below.

The White Dress Project and HealthyWomen Resources

• The White Dress Project

• The White Dress Project: We CAN Wear White - YouTube

• Fibroids - HealthyWomen

• What to Know About Uterine Fibroids - HealthyWomen

• The Double Whammy for Black Women With Fibroids - HealthyWomen

• I Thought My Heavy Bleeding Was Normal — Until It Almost Killed Me - HealthyWomen

• After My Hysterectomy, I’m Living My Best Life - HealthyWomen

• HealthyWomen Statement on Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act

Additional Resources

• Fibroids: Types, Causes, and Symptoms (healthline.com)

• Fibroids in Black women: Rates, impact, and more (medicalnewstoday.com)

• Uterine Fibroids: Q&A With an Expert | Johns Hopkins Medicine

• Find Healthcare Providers: Compare Care Near You | Medicare

• Insurance Coverage | USA Fibroid Centers