John Lipman gives $100,000 to fibroid research grant

By AI, Created 4:05 PM UTC, May 19, 2026, /AGP/ – Atlanta fibroid specialist John Lipman has donated $100,000 to the Foundation for Women’s Health Lupita Nyong’o Uterine Fibroid Research Grant. The gift supports research into non-invasive and minimally invasive treatments for uterine fibroids, a condition that affects an estimated 26 million women in the U.S.

Why it matters: - Uterine fibroids affect an estimated 26 million women in the United States. - The donation supports research aimed at expanding non-surgical treatment options. - Better awareness of those options could change treatment decisions for patients who are now often offered surgery first.

What happened: - John Lipman, MD, founder and medical director of the Atlanta Fibroid Center, made a $100,000 donation to the Foundation for Women’s Health Lupita Nyong’o Uterine Fibroid Research Grant. - Lipman also founded and chairs the Free From Fibroids Foundation. - The announcement came May 19, 2026. - Lupita Nyong’o partnered with the Foundation for Women’s Health to launch Make Fibroids Count, a monthlong campaign in March. - The campaign aimed to fund a research grant for non-invasive and minimally invasive fibroid treatments.

The details: - Lipman said the gift is meant to support clinical research that could lead to breakthroughs for women’s health. - Lipman said he wants women to know non-surgical fibroid care is available when they make treatment decisions. - Nyong’o said she was grateful for Lipman’s donation. - Nyong’o was diagnosed with fibroids at age 31. - She was offered either invasive surgery or living with the pain. - Nyong’o had a myomectomy in November 2014. - Nyong’o is now living with more than 50 fibroids. - Katy Brodsky Falco, founder and executive director of the Foundation for Women’s Health, said the group sees a major knowledge gap on non-invasive fibroid treatment. - Brodsky Falco said donor support can help close underfunded and under-researched gaps in women’s health. - Lipman is a board certified, fellowship trained interventional radiologist and a leading expert in uterine fibroids. - Lipman specializes in uterine fibroid embolization, a nonsurgical outpatient procedure. - Uterine fibroid embolization is done through a single small nick in the skin. - The procedure blocks blood flow to fibroids so they soften and shrink. - The treatment preserves the uterus and can relieve heavy bleeding and pelvic pain. - The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists endorsed uterine fibroid embolization in 2008. - Lipman said his Atlanta Fibroid Center has helped more than 10,000 women find relief without surgery. - Atlanta Fibroid Center was founded in 2005. - The center focuses exclusively on non-surgical fibroid treatment. - The facility is an outpatient center designed for women receiving fibroid care. - The center treats patients from across the United States and around the world. - The Free From Fibroids Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization focused on reducing disparities in fibroid care. - More information is available on Free From Fibroids Foundation on Instagram.

Between the lines: - The donation adds money and visibility to a condition that has long been underfunded relative to its scale. - Nyong’o’s public role helps connect a common but often overlooked women’s health issue to broader awareness efforts. - Lipman’s support reinforces the case for non-surgical care as a mainstream option, not a niche one.

What’s next: - The research grant will continue seeking support for studies focused on non-invasive and minimally invasive fibroid treatments. - Awareness efforts around fibroid care are likely to continue through the Make Fibroids Count campaign and related advocacy. - Expanded research could help clarify which patients can avoid surgery and still get symptom relief.

The bottom line: - The $100,000 gift is both a funding boost and a signal that fibroid care is shifting toward better-known, uterus-preserving options.