Celebrating International Women's Day 2022

Today is International Women's Day, with the theme this year being #BreakTheBias. To celebrate the day, we spoke to Fortius Consultant Dr Pippa Bennett, who has particular experience working in both men's and women's football and gymnastics, to discuss the challenges she has faced in her career, women that she looks up to and what this year's theme means to her. 

What is your role at Fortius?

I am one of the Sports and Exercise Physicians at Fortius. 

Are there any women you look up to and why?

Hope Powell. I worked with Hope for 14 years during our time with the England women's football team. She is one of the most emotionally intelligent people I know. She is a passionate advocate of women in sport, an inspirational leader and a good friend.

One of International Women’s Day’s missions is: To assist women to be in a position of power to make informed decisions about their health. What does this mean to you?

We all need to be at the centre of making decisions about our own health. Historically women did not have this empowerment, this voice. We need to enable women to have their voices heard and we need to listen.

Have there been any challenges as a woman you’ve faced in your career in healthcare?

In my time at Norwich City FC there was not one stadium where a female changing room was available. I am very adept at changing in small toilets. There continues to be assumptions that as a woman you are the nurse, the physio and not the doctor.

This year's theme is #BreakTheBias - what does this mean to you?

We all have biases, for me the first step is understanding our own and being prepared to be challenged and then challenging others.