NEW YORK, NY – Continuing the mission of empowering women to prioritize their health, the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) and its lead global sponsor and official health partner, Hologic, united some of the world’s most renowned female athletes and healthcare experts at Her Health Advantage, a panel discussion event hosted on August 25th in New York City for media and key influencers.
Moderated by women’s health expert Dr. Jessica Shepherd, the event saw Hologic’s VP of Worldwide Medical Affairs, Dr. Susan Harvey; Hologic’s President of Diagnostic Solutions, Michelle Garsha; WTA’s Medical Advisor, Dr. Jennifer Maynard; WHOOP’s VP of Performance Science, Kristen Holmes; and Modern Health’s Global Clinical Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Manager, Dr. Jessica Jackson all join forces with WTA Legend Martina Navratilova, 2017 US Open Champion Sloane Stephens and Grand Slam finalist Madison Keys to shine a light on the healthcare challenges women face today, as well as opportunities to improve their performance, livelihood, and well-being.
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Dr. Shepherd started the discussion by emphasizing the objective of Her Health Advantage, stating, “Today’s event is about speaking out on preventive care for women. There are actionable steps we can all take towards prioritizing our physical and emotional health — and one of the most important, yet most overlooked, is scheduling your Well Woman exam. We urge you to book that appointment with your doctor today.”With exclusive insight into the Hologic Global Women’s Health Index, an unprecedented study of women’s health, the panelists unpacked unique and crucial data that represents the views of 94% of the world’s women and girls age 15 or older. They shared that more than 1.5 billion women interviewed for the Index in 2021 said they were not tested for any type of cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, or sexually transmitted infections in the past year. “Combined, these four conditions kill or harm billions of people around the globe each year,” Dr. Susan Harvey said. “The significant lack of preventive care is distressing because as a breast health expert for decades, I have seen firsthand the life-saving and life-changing impact of early detection and treatment.”Opening up about her own breast cancer experience, Navratilova emphasized the impact of the Hologic-WTA alliance, stating, “As a female athlete and breast cancer survivor, I see this event and partnership as a quintessential moment – one that inspires change in how society perceives and tackles women’s health and wellness. Today is a priceless opportunity to use our voices and raise the bar for how women can live healthier lives through preventive care, which is what saved my life and saves countless lives around the world every day.”In focusing on the emotional side of women’s health, Modern Health’s Dr. Jessica Jackson spotlighted “When it comes to mental health, a lot of the research we have around women is relatively new. In fact, women have historically existed at the periphery of the mental healthcare system, with men being the default subjects in medical research until the early 1990s. This combined with the fact that women are, in general, more affected by depressive disorders than men due to a complex mixture of biological, social, and cultural factors means that it is even more important for us to normalize the conversation of mental health and break down barriers to accessing care.”
