International Women’s Day – “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”

International Women’s Day, observed annually on March 8th for more than a century, remains important because of its dual role. The day celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and highlights the ongoing struggle for gender equality.

I wholeheartedly believe in this year’s theme “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.” Once we recognize and quantify an inequality, the next step is to make investments to close the gap. Without intentionality, the status quo will prevail.

For example, I’m passionate about improving the representation of women in corporate leadership. Today, women are notably under-represented in the C-suite, making up just 30% of leadership positions and only 13% of CEOs. This results in loss of critical skills and experience, low morale, increased costs, and adverse impacts on healthcare and policies affecting women.

Increasing the potential of women as leaders is a critical long-term investment for organizational success. Women CEOs and leaders drive organizational change because they are driven more by purpose and mission than their male counterparts. At Abbott and in Vascular, we are committed to diversity and are doing everything we can to improve the number of women in company leadership positions.

In my recent Black History Month Linked In post , I highlighted the contributions of black men and women in healthcare. Today, I want to acknowledge the pioneering medical achievements of women throughout modern history. Keep in mind that these women also had to overcame considerable obstacles due to gender bias and societal restrictions during their careers and lifetimes.

• Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910): The first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States in 1849. She was also a pioneer in promoting the education of women in medicine.
• Florence Nightingale (1820-1910): Known as the founder of modern nursing, Nightingale established the first scientifically based nursing school, the Nightingale School of Nursing at St. Thomas' Hospital in London in 1860. Her efforts during the Crimean War dramatically reduced death rates and significantly reformed hospital sanitation methods.
• Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958): A British biophysicist, Franklin's work on X-ray diffraction was crucial in the discovery of the DNA double helix. Her photographs of DNA led James Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins to their Nobel Prize for discovering the molecular structure of nucleic acids.
• Gerty Cori (1896-1957): Cori along with her husband, discovered the process that turns glycogen into glucose in the body. They won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1947, making Gerty the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in this category.
• Virginia Apgar (1909-1974): Apgar developed the Apgar Score in 1952—a simple and repeatable method to quickly assess the health of newborn children immediately after birth.

These are just a handful of women who have made a difference in early days of healthcare. Countless others, including the women working for Abbott around the world, have made significant contributions to healthcare that deserve recognition and celebration.

Today, take a moment to reflect on the achievements and contributions of women in healthcare. And if you feel inclined, please share your thoughts and gratitude with a significant woman in your life.