The Power of One, the Power of Many
Championing women’s health takes both individual and team effort, as shown by the Hologic-WTA partnership.
Championing women’s health and well-being takes both one and many. It requires both individual and team effort.
This theme resonated across special activities that took place recently in Toronto, Canada for the partnership between the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) and its main sponsor – Hologic.
“So many people came together to share the message that women’s health deserves top priority – and that each of us can make it happen and inspire our families, friends and coworkers to do the same. We urge tennis moms, hockey moms and all those who love them to get their annual wellness check-up,” said Jay Malayny, General Manager for Hologic in Canada and Latin America.
Venus Williams (seated at center) with members of the Hologic and WTA teams and healthcare guests.
On August 7, 2024, tennis legend Venus Williams underscored the one-and-many theme during the UNMATCHED Gender Equity in Sports Conference in Toronto. She told the audience: “If you see an injustice, don’t stay quiet. Do something about it and get others to join your cause.”
At the same event, WTA leaders Kathleen Stroia and Ann Austin celebrated the impact of two global champions for women joining forces.
Kathleen Stroia, left, and Ann Austin.
Stroia, the WTA’s Senior Vice President of Performance Health, highlighted how Hologic and the WTA have combined resources to:
- Establish the Hologic WTA Women’s Health Taskforce, which works to reduce the gender gap in healthcare through education and awareness, efforts to boost healthcare access and advocacy for improved health policies. The taskforce comprises medical and health performance experts from around the world, plus tennis players and legends who serve as outreach ambassadors.
- Increase the frequency of comprehensive health physicals for WTA players from once every two years to annually, and with more components focused directly on women’s health.
- Provide Hologic’s DXA technology to help players better understand their skeletal and muscular health.
Austin, Executive Director of the WTA Foundation and Vice President of Community Development for the WTA, described how Hologic and the WTA share a dedication to charitable outreach. She showcased commitments such as:
- The WTA Foundation Global Women’s Health Fund, which kicked off in 2024 in collaboration with the Gates Foundation and Hologic. The fund aims to raise enough money to provide UNICEF-approved vitamins for 1 million expectant mothers worldwide in its first year, and Hologic has made the inaugural donation for this campaign.
- ACEing Cancer, a program that awards grants to researchers focused on beating women’s cancers. The program also gives donations to nonprofit groups that help female cancer patients around the world.
- Outreach to charitable organizations via special events in a diverse span of cities, including Miami (United States), Montreal (Canada), Eastbourne (United Kingdom), Madrid (Spain), Stuttgart (Germany), Linz (Austria) and Seoul (Korea).
Dr. Erin Boynton, Ann Austin and Jay Malayny.
Then on August 10, Hologic and the WTA co-hosted seven patient-advocacy nonprofits: Breast Cancer Support Fund, Humber River Health Foundation, Ontario Association of Radiologists, Rethink Breast Cancer, Scarborough Health Network Foundation, Women’s Health Coalition and Women’s Health Collective Canada.
Malayny, Austin and Dr. Erin Boynton – a member of the Hologic WTA Women’s Health Taskforce – presented data illustrating challenges and achievements in women’s health. They celebrated the progress that comes from organizations uniting for the purpose of improving women’s well-being, including substantial gains made over the years for Canada’s 10 geographic provinces.
“Each of us is a change-maker, and each of our groups is a change-maker. When we come together, our power to change the world grows exponentially,” Austin said.