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Tienika Gray Valburn remembers when it all happened. She was 13 helping her uncle mow the lawn.

It was summertime and she was wearing white shorts.

When all of a sudden, I just remember feeling wet and my aunt rushing me into the bathroom and I remember

crying profusely thinking, what did I do?

Because of her white shorts, other people knew

to Nika had gotten her first period before she did.

And her period was intense and always would be.

I kind of just knew my period at that time to be just always a gush feeling very heavy always a lot of pain and I didn't think too much of it because I thought to myself well I guess this is just how periods go

on that time of the month came around, she always had to wear two pads, two pairs of underwear.

Despite all of these symptoms,

it wasn't until her mid-20s that Tanika was finally diagnosed with fibroids.

Fibroids are these benign uterine tumors that are really common.

Some people, they can cause severe pain, bleeding, and even problems with fertility.

Tannika knew the symptoms well from watching her own mom struggle.

Ever since I've known my mom, she's always talked about her desire to have six kids and I am her one and only child

Black women are two to three times more likely to develop vibroids than white women.

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