July is Fibroid Awareness Month and reminds us of the beginning of a great era of awareness and freedom of treatment options for women suffering from uterine fibroids. Tanika Gray, broadcast journalist and communications professional, is the founder and executive director of The White Dress Project. Tanika, herself suffered from uterine fibroids from an early age. She had heavy periods since she was 13.
“Menstrual periods altered my daily life because I adjusted everything I did to be prepared for a surprise period, a super heavy period or a very long period.”
At age 22, Tanika was diagnosed with uterine fibroids. She shares:
“Living with fibroids is traumatic and exhausting! It’s so stressful.”
Tanika shares she often felt sick and had a form of post-traumatic stress disorder from so many experiences of heavy and unpredictable bleeding throughout her adult life. In 2012 Tanya got married, and she and her husband began planning for children. Soon Tanika’s doctor delivered the devastating news that she would never be able to carry a child. At this moment, Tanika recognized that thousands of women are suffering from fibroid issues, and their lives have been affected the same way. She also realized that women don’t take fibroids seriously, and she could do something inspiring to help.
In 2014, The White Dress Project started as an online community of women who shared their experiences and hopes about life with fibroids. This project aims to galvanize support and national awareness about uterine fibroids nationally and globally through education, research and advocacy. The same year the White Dress Project secured a Georgia State House of Representatives resolution proclaiming July “Fibroid Awareness Month” in GA. In 2015 New York, Florida and New Orleans followed.
Tanika joined the USA Fibroid Centers Uterine Fibroid Awareness Luncheon in Atlanta, GA in 2021 to spread awareness for fibroids and treatment options. The event drew over 70 attendees who participated in an open forum to discuss this condition that affects millions of women nationwide.
At USA Fibroid Centers, women’s health is our top priority. We believe in empowering women with knowledge and access to effective fibroid treatment options. This commitment extends beyond our treatment centers, as we actively support organizations that share our mission and values. Our mission is to raise awareness of UFE as a treatment option and encourage more conversation about fibroids. We provide personalized, non-surgical treatment for fibroids using a cutting-edge procedure called uterine fibroid embolization (UFE).
We hope that as more people recognize the symptoms of fibroids and understand treatment options, more women will be able to receive the care they need to feel better. If you are suffering from painful and prolonged menstrual periods, frequent urination, pelvic pain or pressure, painful sexual intercourse or infertility issues, don’t suffer in silence. USA Fibroid Centers offers uterine fibroid embolization, a non-surgical treatment that has helped thousands of women with painful fibroid symptoms while preserving the uterus.
Learn more about USA Fibroid Center’s community involvement and efforts to raise awareness. We sponsor an annual Fibroid Awareness event in July, the most recent being “A Night in Full Bloom,” held in New York City that gathered nearly 500 attendees. Guests enjoyed a night of music from grammy-nominated singer, Sevyn Streeter, along with a panel of doctors and ambassadors discussing everything fibroids, from symptoms to management to effective treatment options.
Call (855) 615-2555to schedule a consultation with our leading interventional radiologists. Most insurance plans, including Medicaid, cover treatments at USA Fibroid Centers.
Originally posted 2017.
Reviewed 2024.
