Hologic Rings Nasdaq Opening Bell for 15th Time to Kick Off Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 4, 2021 — Hologic, Inc., an innovative medical technology company primarily focused on improving women’s health, announced today that CEO Steve MacMillan will ring the Nasdaq opening bell on October 4 to mark the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The ceremony will kick off a series of efforts by Hologic, the company behind the Genius 3D Mammography exam and the inaugural Global Women’s Health Index, to increase awareness of the importance of annual mammograms and continue to shed light on the inequities in care, including racial disparities in breast cancer screening.

This initiative comes at a pivotal moment, as recent research has shown that, worldwide, just 12% of women said in 2020 that they had been tested for any type of cancer in the past 12 months. Additionally, earlier this year a comprehensive study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR) found that Black women were less likely to receive a digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) exam and less likely to be screened multiple times during a five-year period than Caucasian women.

“Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a time to reflect on the work we've done with our partners to eliminate breast cancer screening disparities for Black women. While we’re proud of the progress we've made, there is still significant work ahead of us," said MacMillan. “Our commitment to advancing change through education, research and the delivery of care is steadfast, because we believe that all women should be afforded the dignity and benefits of early breast cancer detection."

Following the bell ringing, Hologic will host Screening the System: A Dialogue on Bias and Breast Health, a panel discussion featuring Linda Goler Blount, President & CEO of the Black Women's Health Imperative (BWHI); Mary J. Blige, Grammy award-winning artist and P.O.W.E.R. of Sure spokeswoman; and Dr. Arlene Richardson, Chair of the Department of Radiology, Jackson Park Hospital, Chicago, a recipient of funding from Hologic's Project Health Equality. The event will be available via livestream on Hologic's YouTube channel beginning at 11:00 a.m. EDT.

Complementing this essential conversation is the launch of new educational resources for patients through the P.O.W.E.R. of Sure campaign – a joint effort between BWHI and Hologic that examines common barriers to early screening and generates awareness of the importance of annual mammograms among Black women. Campaign spokeswoman Mary J. Blige and several prominent Black women lend their voices to the campaign, which features a multimedia digital hub with resources including common facts and myths about mammography, frequently asked questions regarding breast cancer and screening guidelines, and a list of locations offering breast cancer screening.

Additionally, to reach as many women as possible in October, Hologic has partnered with The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Real to disseminate educational broadcast and digital content about breast health. The partnership will also feature a broadcast fundraising drive supporting RAD-AID, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring equal access to radiology health services for medically underserved communities.

Hologic's partnership with RAD-AID supports innovative care, radiology, public education, and nurse navigation at multiregional sites selected by RAD-AID as clinical partners to provide critical screening, diagnostic breast imaging, and treatment for women who may otherwise go without. Sites and facilities under development for this program are located in regions including the South Side of Chicago, Washington D.C., and Seattle/the Pacific Northwest, among others.

For more information: www.hologic.com