SI Swimsuit Models, OB/GYN Push for Advances in Women’s Healthcare Resources

Ariel Meredith Nicks, Kelly Crump and OB/GYN Dr. Kameelah Phillips gathered for an important discussion during yesterday’s Instagram livestream.

Ariel Meredith Nicks, Dr. Kameelah Phillips and Kelly Crump / Ben Morris/Sports Illustrated, Courtesy of Dr. Kameelah Phillips and Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, one in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetimes. Aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common skin cancer among women. For more information and ways to support, click here.

Yesterday afternoon, SI Swimsuit hosted a candid Instagram livestream conversation with Swimsuit models Ariel Meredith Nicks and Kelly Crump, alongside OB/GYN Dr. Kameelah Phillips. While the models shared their personal experiences with breast cancer, Dr. Phillips provided her medical expertise on the topic, including the importance of early detection and staying on top of annual mammograms.

During the near hour-long session, the topic of additional funds and resources needed for women’s healthcare came up, with Dr. Phillips noting that “billions” of more dollars are needed for research when it comes to women’s healthcare issues, breast cancer included.

“We are moving into this time where we need to be really focused on the differences between a Kameelah and Ariel and Kelly as it comes to treating our individual cancers and so when we think about how important it is to push money and advocate for money towards women’s health, this is it right here,” Dr. Phillips stated.

Meredith Nicks, a five-time SI Swimsuit model, is a survivor of Stage 2B triple-negative breast cancer, while Crump, a 2022 Swim Search finalist, is a breast cancer “thriver” living with metastatic breast cancer. During the conversation, Crump shared that she has had seven molecular profiles done over the years, as she is resistant to so many different treatments.

“I believe that’s why I’m still here, because if they would have continued the same old routine with me, it didn’t work,” she stated. “I do believe that that’s where the money does need to go and the drug companies need to go. I know they’re trialing the cancer vaccines that are specific to each person’s cancer. We’re doing it here in the U.K. and we’re doing some in the U.S., but everyone’s cancer is completely different. I think a lot of people don’t understand that piece.”

Dr. Phillips, a board certified New York City-based OB/GYN and the founder of Calla Women’s Health, noted how important it is to dedicate more funds to researching precision care and molecular care when it comes to breast cancer. She also brought up the healthcare divide that currently exists for women of color, and believes that we need to “do better” with progressive science moving forward.

“We often see more aggressive cancers in women of color, specifically Black women,” Dr. Phillips shared. “And we also see later diagnosis at more advanced stage in women of color. And so when you combine that health divide and that discordance and then you put it on top of the fact that we get so little of health care funding, this is not going to get better until we start screaming and this is what we’re doing. We’re screaming that everyone needs to be on one accord with raising money, dedicating money and resources towards women’s health and breast cancer.”

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