Jennifer Simard ended up in an emergency room with haemorrhaging late in her Broadway run after years of suffering from uterine fibroids. The three-time Tony Award nominee tells PEOPLE exclusively that doctors first believed she had eight, but there were 15.

She still finished Death Becomes Her, which closed on 28 June, before undergoing a hysterectomy and oophorectomy on 6 July. Her case shows how uterine fibroids, common non-cancerous growths, can cause serious symptoms.

Years of Suffering and Online Criticism

Simard says she sometimes avoids online chat boards, but word still reached her that some theatregoers had questioned her absences. They did not know what she had been suffering from for years, she says.

She hopes her story encourages compassion for performers who must miss shows for reasons beyond their control. She asks audiences to 'grant grace to stage performers', noting that many people would take time off work for life-saving surgery.

Completing the run was far from easy. 'I'm very proud that I got to finish the show, but it took a lot of strength,' she says.

Fibroids and Their Treatment Options

According to a 2017 review in American Family Physician, the American Academy of Family Physicians' journal, fibroids are the most common benign tumours in women of reproductive age. The review says they can be detected in up to 80 per cent of women by age 50.

The most common symptom is abnormal uterine bleeding, usually excessive menstrual bleeding. Other symptoms include pelvic pressure, urinary frequency, low back pain and constipation.

Treatment depends on fibroid size and location, the patient's age and symptoms, and any wish to maintain fertility. Options range from medication to surgery, with hysterectomy a definitive cure for symptomatic fibroids when fertility is not a goal.

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What the Surgeries Involve

Cleveland Clinic says an oophorectomy removes one or both ovaries, which produce hormones that control the menstrual cycle and promote bone and heart health. The clinic adds that people who have not reached menopause enter it immediately once both are removed.

Stanford Health Care says a hysterectomy can treat non-cancerous, precancerous and cancerous conditions. Depending on the reason, the surgeon may also remove the cervix, ovaries or fallopian tubes.

After the operation, a person no longer has periods and cannot become pregnant. After a robotic or laparoscopic hysterectomy, many patients can go home the same day or after an overnight stay, although recovery varies. Reduced activity may be necessary for four to six weeks.

Mayo Clinic notes that a hysterectomy can be performed through a cut in the lower belly, through the vagina, or with laparoscopic or robotic surgery. Laparoscopic and robotic methods use long, thin instruments passed through small cuts in the belly.

Hysterectomy is a definitive treatment for symptomatic fibroids. Clinical guidance recommends using the least invasive surgical approach appropriate for each patient. An abdominal procedure, with an incision of about six to eight inches, is most commonly used in cases such as an enlarged uterus or large fibroids.

Recovery and Return to Broadway

Simard credits her 'incredible' surgeon, who performed the procedure laparoscopically with robotic assistance. She reports no complications and says recovery took about six weeks. 'I had no issues whatsoever,' she says. 'So, lucky me.'

Laparoscopic oophorectomy carries a smaller risk of infection and usually allows faster recovery. People can expect three to six weeks of restricted activities, though everyone recovers differently.

On 8 September, Simard joined Schmigadoon! at the Nederlander Theatre, taking over the role of Mildred Layton from Ana Gasteyer. She says she felt embraced by the cast and audience.

Despite the short break between productions, she was more than ready to return. 'I like to work,' she says, adding that she loves the discipline and routine of a theatre schedule. 'And I'm having the time of my life.'

I kept "emergency room" because the hospital is in the US, but I can change it to "A&E" if you prefer.

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