For years, Rea Pyne silently endured the physical, emotional and financial toll of uterine fibroids. Today, that experience has become the driving force behind a mission to ensure other women and girls across Jamaica do not have to face the same journey alone.

As founder of the Rea Pyne Foundation, Pyne is leading efforts to raise awareness about uterine fibroids, promote menstrual health education and combat period poverty through community outreach, advocacy and the distribution of menstrual products.

Her work comes against the backdrop of a condition that affects millions of women worldwide. According to medical experts, uterine fibroids are among the most common benign tumours affecting women of reproductive age, with an estimated 40 to 89 per cent of premenopausal women developing fibroids during their lifetime.

Rea Pyne

Black women are disproportionately affected, often developing fibroids at younger ages, experiencing more severe symptoms and requiring treatment more frequently than women of other ethnicities.

“My journey with uterine fibroids transformed one of the most difficult experiences of my life into a mission to help other women and girls across Jamaica,” Pyne told the Jamaica Observer.

“As a survivor, I know firsthand how physically, emotionally and financially challenging the condition can be. I also realised that many women suffer in silence because they lack information, support, or simply feel that no one understands what they are experiencing.”

That realisation inspired the creation of the Rea Pyne Foundation, whose mission extends beyond fibroid awareness to addressing menstrual health and period poverty.

Pyne believes too many women have been conditioned to dismiss persistent pain or heavy bleeding as simply part of being a woman.

Rea Pyne donating sanitary napkins to Ms. Claudette, a worker
at Crofts Hill Clinic.

“The biggest lesson I learned is that we should never ignore what our bodies are telling us,” she said. “Too many women accept pain or abnormal symptoms as ‘normal’ when they deserve medical attention.”

She argues that greater awareness is key to improving health outcomes, particularly in Jamaica where conversations about menstruation and reproductive health are still often surrounded by stigma.

“Every woman deserves to understand her body and feel comfortable seeking help when something doesn’t seem right,” she said.

The foundation also seeks to tackle period poverty, an issue Pyne says extends far beyond access to sanitary products.

“Many girls miss school, women struggle to manage their periods with dignity, and some lack access to proper menstrual health education,” she said. “These challenges can affect confidence, education and overall well-being.”

Through partnerships with schools, healthcare facilities and community groups, the foundation distributes menstrual products while educating women and girls about menstrual health and uterine fibroids.

One of the moments that continues to motivate Pyne came when she returned to the very hospital where she had undergone fibroid surgery, this time not as a patient, but as an advocate giving back.

“Walking into the same hospital where I was once a patient, but this time as someone bringing support and hope to others, was a full-circle moment that I will never forget,” she recalled.

“It reminded me how far I had come and reinforced why I started this foundation.”

Earlier this year, Pyne’s advocacy earned regional recognition when she received the Unsung Shero Award and was named an Ignite Caribbean 30 Under 30 Changemaker.

She said the honours have strengthened her resolve to continue expanding the foundation’s impact across the island.

“My vision is to build a future where menstrual health is treated as a public health priority and every woman has access to the support she deserves.”

Looking ahead, Pyne hopes to increase the foundation’s menstrual product distribution, strengthen partnerships with schools, healthcare providers and community organisations, and broaden public education surrounding women’s reproductive health.

Her message to women living with uterine fibroids is simple.

“To every woman who may be silently struggling, I want you to know that you are not alone. Your pain is real, your voice matters, and you deserve to be heard.

“Please listen to your body, seek medical advice when something doesn’t feel right, and remember that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness,” she said.