This is part of WTOP’s continuing coverage of people making a difference in our community, reported by Stephanie Gaines-Bryant. Read more of that coverage.
Painful menstrual cycles, infertility and difficult pregnancies are all symptoms of a condition that impacts 80% of all Black women by the time they’re 50 years old — uterine fibroids. One D.C.-based nonprofit is working to limit the financial pain associated with costly treatments.
Khaleelah Harris, an art curator and public historian, was first diagnosed with the condition in 2023. Harris said her experience with uterine fibroids — noncancerous tumors that grow in the uterus and can cause painful menstrual cycles and infertility — led her to ask questions.
“What are Black women who are uninsured, and what are Black women who are low income or out of work doing to address this?” Harris said in an interview with WTOP.
Harris said she learned that myomectomies, a surgical procedure to remove uterine fibroids, can cost anywhere from $4,000 to $15,000. Even though Harris was newly insured, her out-of-pocket cost was nearly $1,000.
So, Harris decided that she wanted to help women struggling with trying to pay for treatments. She got together with her friend Yasmine Griffiths, a medical school student at the Howard University College of Medicine, and founded The Beauty of Our Wellness, a nonprofit organization based in D.C.
“Our focus was raising funds for immediate relief,” she said, adding that it is just as important to raise awareness “because [there’s] no reason why at age 27 I should have learned about fibroids.”
Griffiths said she’s learned a lot about the tumors, which can range from the size of a pea to the size of a football or larger, and the grim statistics impacting Black women.
“Black women are hit hardest by fibroids. They are diagnosed three times as frequently as white women, and they oftentimes have more severe symptoms,” Griffiths said.
She also said Black women are “oftentimes offered more invasive procedure options.”
Griffiths said The Beauty of Our Wellness is raising money for Black uterine fibroid sufferers, working to pair clients with Black women who are obstetricians and gynecologists, offering information on treatment options and helping clients figure out where they can go to seek care.
Harris said her diagnosis showed just how much diet plays a role in her condition.
“I learned that the diet that I had was just terrible, and it was contributing to the growth of my fibroids,” Harris said.
Since making the discovery, Harris said, she no longer eats red meat and is on a pescatarian diet. She also said she cut down on her alcohol consumption.
The Beauty of Our Wellness events try to incorporate Griffiths’ love of wellness and Harris’ appreciation for art.
Harris and Griffiths hosted their first inaugural The Beauty of Our Wellness Awareness Luncheon and Fundraiser on June 1 at Fathom Gallery in Georgetown.
They showcased fine art pieces from the Wright Family Collection and had presentations from renowned Black women OBGYNs.
More information is available at thebeautyofourwellness.com.
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