Gwen Ifill honored during Inaugural Seasoned Women’s Champion Awards Breakfast

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – More than 140 people joined the Inaugural Seasoned Women’s Champion Awards Breakfast.

The breakfast honors the life and legacy of Gwen Ifill, a trailblazer for women in journalism who died of uterine cancer in 2016.

JoAnn Jenkins, the CEO of AARP, is the 2024 award recipient. Jenkins, who is the first Black woman to be appointed to the role, sent 200 copies of her book “Disrupt Aging: A Bold New Path to Living Your Best Life at Every Age.”

“Gwen Ifill was an extraordinary woman who still inspires us every day through her life and her legacy. She personified the value that seasoned women contribute to society through this award, you are making a long-term commitment to continue building on her legacy,” said Jenkins in a virtual video.

‘We are not invisible’: Post-menopausal women invited to health summit

Proudly wearing a pin of his sister’s Black Heritage Stamp in the crowd is Dr. Roberto Ifill, who joining this movement to make women’s voices heard.

“I am very much inspired by all these extraordinary women who are courageous, who are really straightforward, who are dedicated,” said Roberto.

Roberto called Project Nana founder Vanessa Hill, a “Kindred spirit his sister — who herself was dedicated and really wanted to speak for people who were not heard, wanted to make people visible, who are invisible.”

Roberto said Gwen not only wanted to get the stories right, but she wanted to pick the right stories. Typically they were the stories that felt like secrets and left untold, he added.

Hill created this non-profit in honor of her late nana.

“It’s never about one individual, expect my nana Merlice Yvonne McIntosh Henderson, but to come from the family of someone who’s such a trailblazer … it’s very humbling, but also very affirming,” said Hill.

But the work is far from over, as Hill issues a call to action. Hill encouraged people to check in with women over 50 years and ask them whether or not it’s been more than 12 months since they’ve had a cycle.

Hill is hopeful more people will advocate for their loved ones before it’s too late.

“It’s the keeping quiet and then also not being asked the questions to pull something out of you that is making families have empty chairs,” Hill said. “Those empty chairs should not exist with a cancer, particularly like endometrial cancer, that does have signs and symptoms.”

Project Nana will continue to advocate for more health screenings for post-menopausal women.

Seasoned women’s health summit Sep. 5-8 to address uterine cancer

On Sunday at noon all are welcome to register for the Walk to End Breast and Gynecologic cancer. The walk is about bringing the community together and declaring “seasoned woman’s health matters,” Hill said.

“We want to walk alongside a nana. I want people to stop and stare and say, ‘Why do you have all of these seasoned women together? What’s going on?’ And not hear it from my voice, hear it from theirs.”

Sept. 9 through Sept. 14, is “Take Nana to the Doctor week.”

“Take Nana to the doctor is our awareness campaign. During the summit, we’re educating the nanas. But still, there may be some reasons that a woman won’t go to the doctor. So having a more public campaign makes everyone in the family aware. Whether it’s your nana or your auntie or your mother, take her. Take it upon yourself to ask those questions.”

To learn more visit Project Nana Inc.

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