Kym Lee has worked magic on celebrities with her makeup artistry for over 25 years. Her work has been featured in films like “Jumping the Broom” and “Sparkle,” she has worked with high-profile clients, including Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, and Kerry Washington. Kim Lee-King is also the CEO of her own cosmetics company, WinkN’Pout, and the best-selling author of Brain and Beauty: The Ultimate Makeup Guide for Your Mind, Body and Soul.
A fibroid survivor, Lee became a USA Fibroid Centers ambassador to raise awareness about uterine fibroids. Lee encourages women suffering from fibroids to tell their stories to help break the stigma about discussing women’s healthcare. Lee wants women to be able to make more informed decisions by sharing what she learned from her fibroid journey.
Fibroid Fighter of the Year
Lee was presented with the Fibroid Fighter of the Year Award by the Fibroid Fighters Foundation’s “50 Shades of Purple” fibroid awareness event during Fibroid Awareness Month.
The award recognizes an individual whose efforts have heightened awareness about fibroid disease, which affects over 26 million American women. Previous recipients include NY Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and MI Supreme Court Judge Kyra Harris Bolden.
Lee was also recognized earlier this year with the President’s Volunteer Service Award, a national honor recognizing volunteer commitment.
Talk About “U” Instagram Live
Lee hosts an Instagram live “Talk About U”– U meaning uterus— an educational initiative started by the USA Fibroid Centers to encourage women to speak out and share their fibroid journeys. Talk About “U” streams on the USA Fibroid Centers’ Instagram platform and attracts thousands of monthly followers.
Guests have ranged from well-known celebrities, including American TV personality Bevy Smith, actresses Cynthia and Malorie Bailey, DJ Heat, to medical experts from USA Fibroid Centers.
Lee’s Fibroid Story
Lee’s story begins with daily episodes of pain and discomfort. “I felt like I was dying of headaches, fatigue, and weight gain. I felt like my body was out of my control,” says Lee. She also began bleeding heavily for at least three weeks per month. “We had thrown away probably 12 to 15 sets of bed sheets because I would bleed through sheet after sheet after sheet,” says Kim. “It was so embarrassing.”
Lee’s physical symptoms also took an emotional toll on her marriage. “When you’re bleeding 22 days out of 30, what’s your sex life like?” Lee asks. The combination of physical and mental symptoms was overwhelming, making Lee feel she had no control over her life.
The Turning Point
Like many women, Lee put off treatment because of her hectic work schedule. “I probably suffered from fibroids for 10 to 12 years because of my schedule. I didn’t have two to three weeks per month to say no,” Lee explains. Saying “no” meant turning down once-in-a-lifetime work opportunities with stars that may not be offered again.
The turning point in Lee’s story was when her husband found her lying on their garage floor, immobilized with pain, it was the turning point in Lee’s story. Lee realized she could no longer put off getting help for her fibroids.
Lee’s Treatment
Lee started looking for treatment and was presented with one solution: a hysterectomy. “My doctor said the solution was just to get rid of the uterus,” Lee says.
It wasn’t just the casual, abrupt way the hysterectomy was presented that influenced Lee’s decision: what hit Lee even harder was hearing that her fibroids may eventually develop into cancer.
Lee explains, “I think I was so fed up at that point. Hysterectomy sounded like an immediate, quick solution, and I just wanted to feel better.” Although Lee sought a first and second opinion about her fibroid treatment, she was never referred to a specialist.
Raising Awareness
Today, Lee’s mission is to connect women with healthcare providers who can provide various treatment options. At USA Fibroid Centers, our fibroid specialists are interventional radiologists who specialize in a minimally invasive treatment for fibroids called Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE). UFE is a safe, effective, non-surgical procedure that can relieve fibroid symptoms and preserve a woman’s fertility.
“Many healthcare providers are unaware of the advantages that uterine fibroid embolization offers,” Dr. Yan Katsnelson, USA Fibroid Centers Founder and CEO, explains. “That’s why our ambassadors work to raise awareness of this important procedure, so women don’t have to choose between suffering and surgery.”
Lee wishes she had known about UFE so she could have made a better decision about her fibroid treatment. For her, like many women, a hysterectomy is a loss.
Lee is motivated to help other women learn about fibroid disease and be well-informed about their symptoms and treatment options. Lee also emphasizes that hysterectomy is not the only solution for fibroids.
Fibroid Treatment at USA Fibroid Centers
We want the conversation around fibroids at USA Fibroid Centers to start with you. If your fibroids are causing you to suffer physically and emotionally like Lee, we want you to know there’s hope and a safer, non-surgical treatment option.
Request a consultation with one of our fibroid specialists to learn how we can help you regain control of your life.
