Thousands of SA women are silently suffering the devastating symptoms of untreated uterine fibroids. These are muscular, non-cancerous tumours that develop in the walls of the uterus.
They most commonly, although not exclusively, develop in women in their 30s and 40s. Internationally, 20% of women have fibroids although interventional radiologist Dr Gary Sudwarts believes that this number is higher in South Africa.
Dr Sudwarts, who practises at Netcare Park Lane Hospital in Johannesburg, as well as UCT Private Academic Hospital in Cape Town, has set himself the goal of raising awareness of the condition, which he believes warrants much greater attention and awareness than it currently receives.