In so many ways and for so many years, Kristin Larew’s life mirrored that of so many other 45-year-old mothers of two in Northern New Jersey.
“I spend a lot of my weekends at various sports games — going from the soccer field to the baseball field,” she said.
Two years ago, that changed.
Larew began suffering from a condition she couldn’t control: Uterine fibroids. It’s a condition marked by debilitating symptoms and unpredictability, creating a quality-of-life condition that she couldn’t control.
“The unpredictability of it always made me feel limited in what I could do,” she said.
Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumors in women, with estimates showing that up to 80% of women will develop them by the time they reach age 50. While not cancerous, their symptoms — which can include prolonged or heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, and pressure — can severely impact a woman’s life.
Larew’s journey for a solution was filled with frustration. After seeing multiple doctors who couldn’t provide a definitive answer, she finally received a diagnosis but found the treatment options lacking.
It wasn’t until she conducted her own independent research that she discovered the Sonata treatment, a minimally invasive procedure being offered at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, that she got relief.
Larew found her answer with Dr. Jocelyn Carlo, the director of gynecology at Jersey Shore. Carlo confirmed that Larew was an ideal candidate for the Sonata treatment, an incisionless procedure that uses radiofrequency energy to target and shrink fibroids from inside the uterus.
The Sonata system allows the physician to locate the fibroid with ultrasound and deliver targeted heat to destroy the fibroid tissue without any incisions. For Larew, the results were transformative.
“My symptoms decreased dramatically and my lifestyle has been reclaimed. I don’t have to overthink the soccer field anymore,” she said. “The freedom I have gained has been truly amazing and my quality of life improved so much.”
Carlo, who has seen great success with the procedure, is thrilled to offer this option to more patients.
“As a department, we have had great results and patients are extremely satisfied with their experience,” she said. “Kristin’s story is a powerful testament to why we are so focused on bringing the latest, most effective, and least invasive treatments to our community.”
For the millions of women who suffer from fibroids, many in silence, Larew’s story is one of hope and empowerment. Her journey highlights the importance of patient advocacy and the availability of advanced medical technologies that can restore quality of life without the need for major surgery.
“I am so incredibly grateful to Dr. Carlo and her team,” Larew concluded. “By using the incisionless Sonata technology to treat my fibroid, she gave me back my freedom and active lifestyle without the need for a major surgery.”
Larew, who underwent the procedure earlier this year, noted the convenience of the outpatient approach.
“It’s extremely fast and non-invasive,” she said of her experience in early 2026. “I had no pain afterwards. I was home by dinner time.”
Or just in time to catch another game.
For information about Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, go to hackensackmeridianhealth.org/en/locations/jersey-shore-university-medical-center.
