ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Continuing its mission to empower women through equality, education, leadership, and health and wellness, WTA’s philanthropic arm, WTA Foundation, is dedicating the month of October to promoting and supporting breast cancer awareness.
WTA’s official health and equality partner and pioneer of 3D Mammography, Hologic, is again partnering with the campaign this year. As part of the collaboration to champion women’s health worldwide, the two organizations will continue to highlight preventive and educational health initiatives, culminating with the annual “WTA Foundation ACEing Cancer by Hologic” campaign, which provides financial support to researchers and nonprofits dedicated to fighting cancers that affect women.
Earlier today, WTA President Micky Lawler and tennis legend and two-time breast cancer survivor Martina Navratilova rang the Nasdaq opening bell in New York City with Hologic Chairman, President and CEO Steve MacMillan to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Following the visit, Navratilova, alongside WTA Foundation Executive Director Ann Austin and a group of Hologic employees, visited the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge in New York City, which provides temporary lodgings for cancer patients undergoing treatment and their caregivers. Each year, the American Cancer Society typically serves 29,000 patients and caregivers and provides 500,000 free nights of lodging through Hope Lodge communities nationwide.
During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, WTA Foundation will focus on spreading awareness about the importance of preventive care, including the essential role of routine health screenings for early detection and treatment of diseases. More than 2 billion women worldwide were not tested in the past 12 months for any type of cancer, including breast cancer, according to the Hologic Global Women’s Health Index.
In addition to educational initiatives, the collaboration between Hologic and WTA has seen great fundraising success for WTA Foundation’s ACEing Cancer campaign, with Hologic making a donation for every singles ace served at a WTA 1000 and 500 tournament this year. Tennis fans are also welcomed to pledge their support by donating at wtatennis.com/aceingcancer.
“Since Hologic signed on as the WTA’s title sponsor in 2022, we have been thrilled to have the commitment of their leadership joining our annual cancer campaign,” said WTA Foundation Executive Director Ann Austin. “Funding research through ACEing Cancer honors the legacy of the many WTA family members who have been impacted by cancer and every dollar raised makes a difference.”
A portion of the proceeds raised from the 2023 WTA Foundation ACEing Cancer by Hologic campaign will co-fund a researcher with WTA Foundation partner, Cancer Research Racquet. This will be the fourth researcher co-funded by WTA Foundation and Cancer Research Racquet through American Cancer Society grants, and the third involving Hologic. The WTA will select this year’s research grant recipient following the conclusion of the fundraising campaign at the end of the year.
“We are looking forward to the announcement of our fourth women’s cancer researcher,” said Rob Kinas, founder of Cancer Research Racquet. “With every researcher funded by Cancer Research Racquet and WTA Foundation, we are a step closer to finding the cure for women’s cancers.”
The 2023 research grant will be given in the name of former WTA Top 10 player Carla Suarez Navarro, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2020 at the age of 31. Suarez Navarro won two WTA singles titles in her career and was a seven-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist, reaching as high as WTA World No. 6. After undergoing treatment, she returned for the 2021 season where she won the WTA Comeback Player of the Year award as voted on by the international tennis media. After retiring from tennis following the 2021 season, the then 34-year-old gave birth to twins on June 2, 2023.
“I never thought cancer would affect me so young,” said Suarez Navarro, “However, thanks to early detection and swift treatment, I was able to not only finish out my tennis career on my terms but was able to give birth to two beautiful daughters. I appreciate all the work WTA Foundation and Hologic are doing to help the search for a cure and treatments so that others who receive a cancer diagnosis can be as fortunate as I have been as I look forward to a long life with my family.”
To learn more about the ACEing Cancer initiative, including how to make a donation, visit wta.foundation/donate.
To learn more about the WTA Foundation, visit wta.foundation.
