“As a teenager, I had terrible menstrual cramps,” says Sateria Venable, founder of the Fibroid Foundation. “I dealt with it, as I think so many women do, but it became too much.” Venable’s story is one so many women can relate to. A fibroid diagnosis in her 20’s was the first puzzle piece to figuring out why she suffered every month – but her story was far from over. Her journey to healing was filled with multiple surgeries, diet changes, and searching for resources that could help. “I had difficulty finding a really skilled fibroid specialist in Chicago,” says Venable. “So, I decided to start the Fibroid Foundation.”
The organization, based in Rockville, just celebrated their 10th anniversary in September. Over the last 10 years, Venable has educated thousands of women on fibroids, creating 27 chapters of the organization, both in the U.S. and abroad. “It’s mind blowing to me that my journey could translate into an organization that resonates with so many women and their families,” she says.
“We try to keep our community updated on emerging treatment options through our Fibroid Summit, which we host every September,” Venable says of the foundation’s focus on education. “It has about 2,500 virtual viewers, both clinicians and patients.” Most recently, Venable and others from the organization hosted their first congressional briefing on Capitol Hill to declare May as Menstrual Health Awareness Month. It’s all in an effort to solve what Venable calls the “fibroid puzzle.” “I’ve been an advocate since 2007, and I have seen the conversation on menstruation open up drastically,” she says. “I look forward to seeing that continue.”
“It’s mind blowing to me that my journey could translate into an organization that resonates with so many women and their families.”