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The Documentary Podcast
The hidden pain of fibroids
The Documentary Podcast
Jul 26, 2025

When Oscar winning film star Lupita Nyong'o revealed on Instagram her decade long struggle with uterine fibroids it attracted almost a million likes. The post has sparked a global debate about a health problem that affects millions of women around the world but is rarely talked about. Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in the uterus, the medical term for a woman’s womb. Symptoms can be severe and include heavy menstrual bleeding, painful periods and stomach pain. Black and Asian women are more likely to be affected, and we bring together three women who share their experiences of living with the condition. “A woman sitting across from you at work who’s smiling and having a conversation may be dying inside,” Sateria tells us. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from BBC OS Conversations, bringing together people from around the world to discuss how major news stories are affecting their lives.

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Apr 7, 2026
Albania: Land, money and the sea

Albania has had many different faces over the last hundred years. Once ruled by the Ottomans, it became a kingdom before turning into a totalitarian communist state after the Second World War. During this time, no one was allowed in or out; all private property became state-owned, and bunkers sprang up across the country. After the fall of the communist regime, Albania descended into chaos. In 1996, a pyramid scheme that three quarters of the population had paid into, collapsed. People lost everything, and the country, especially the south, erupted into violence.

These days, Albania is aiming to shake off its past and transform its reputation from a country marked by corruption to one known for luxury tourism. With its miles of unspoilt beaches, snow capped mountains, and olive groves that could rival anything Greece has to offer, it’s unsurprising that it’s quickly attracting investors. Among them are Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, who are hoping to build a resort on an island off the coast of Vlorë. They have visited the secluded beaches of Zvërnec and Nartë; currently home only to endangered monk seals, sea turtles, and a few sheep. They, like others, hope to benefit from new government incentives to build luxury 5 star plus resorts.

However, ghosts of Albania’s communist past remain. Land disputes, allegations of corruption, and a lack of infrastructure could derail these resorts before they’ve even broken ground. For Assignment, Emily Wither travels to Albania to find out whether it will be able to re-brand itself, and whether its dream of luxury escapism will become a reality.

This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.


26min 33sec



The hidden pain of fibroids

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