NBA star Erica Wheeler. Photo Courtesy of Hologic
Erica Wheeler chatted about her athletic career being a professional athlete in the NBA, the digital age, and raising awareness on cervical cancer prevention.
This cause hits home to her because Wheeler lost her mother from cervical cancer.
In her mother’s honor, Wheeler is using her platform to encourage women ages 30 to 65 to talk with their healthcare providers about staying up to date on Pap and HPV screening, including combined testing every five years.
Daily motivations as a basketball player
On her daily inspirations as a basketball star, she remarked, “Making my mom proud and the love of it. It has changed my life tremendously. I probably wouldn’t be a part of this campaign had I not been a basketball player.”
“Basketball has opened so many doors for me. The love for it, that’s endless for sure,” she added.
The digital age
On being a professional athlete in the digital age, now with streaming, technology and social media being so prevalent, Wheeler said, “I think it’s super dope.”
“Growing up, we didn’t have many platforms to get our messages out there,” she noted.
“To be [a player] in this pivotal time, it shows how the game is growing and how the world is growing, and it’s encouraging to be able to get certain things across. I’m super happy about that,” she elaborated.
Wheeler on the significance of Cervical Health Awareness Month
On the significance of Cervical Health Awareness Month, which coincides with January, Wheeler shared, “Cervical Health Awareness Month matters to me because I lost my mom to cervical cancer over a decade ago.”
“Life gets busy, especially when you’re juggling work, family, and everything else, and it’s easy to put off doctor’s appointments, but cervical cancer is something that can be missed and escalate quickly,” she elaborated.
That’s why I use my platform to encourage women to talk to their doctors and stay on top of Pap and HPV screenings, because prevention truly is key and it’s one of the most powerful ways to protect your health,” she underscored.
Wheeler on her partnership with Hologic on The Ultimate Defense campaign and the importance of prevention
To honor my mom’s legacy, Wheeler partnered with Hologic to launch The Ultimate Defense, which is an initiative focused on raising awareness around routine cervical cancer screening and encouraging women to have real conversations with their doctors.
“Prevention really is key,” she underscored. “Women ages 21 to 29 should get a Pap test every three years, and women 30 and up should get both a Pap and HPV test every five years to stay on top of their cervical health.”
Future plans
On her future plans, Wheeler revealed, “Man, I’ve been asked this question a lot lately, especially because I’m 34 years old and I don’t have much basketball left in me. So, I don’t know, man. I’ve got my hands in a lot of things. I own restaurants. I own properties. I have my foundation where I help the youth. I run camps.”
“I’m also trying to figure out when I can do a cervical cancer walk here in Miami, because I have the whole Unrivaled here. I think that’s something me, Unrivaled, and my foundation are going to talk about getting done. You have all these athletes who I’m sure would love to be a part of it,” she elaborated.
“So, that’s something I really want to get done at some point,” she noted. “I think I’ll stay in the space of mentoring and encouraging the youth to just keep going.”
“I’ll stay around kids, running my camps and helping encourage them, because where I come from, there aren’t a lot of people like me who are giving back to the community,” she said.
“I want to continue to give back in different ways and find ways to make an impact,” she added.
Wheeler on her career-defining moments
On her career-defining moments, she said, “Losing my mom definitely helped define me. But after being able to get over that hump, I’d say my 11 years in the WNBA really shaped who I am.”
“When I became an All-Star MVP, I think that’s when I put the world on notice that success isn’t about where you start,” she noted.
“Being able to share that journey is important to me, because it’s something anybody can relate to, no matter what they’re struggling with. It’s not just basketball — it’s doctors, people who own their own businesses, everybody. Things get tough,” she elaborated.
“My journey really speaks to pushing through those moments and to just keep going,” she added.
Advice for young and aspiring basketball players
For young and emerging basketball players, she encouraged them to “have fun.”
“Try things out, making mistakes is not the end all be all. Because I’ve made a lot of mistakes, I’ve failed a hundred times,” she said.
“Always get back up, because you just never know when your breakthrough will come. That’s not just with basketball, that’s with life. Things happen,” she acknowledged.
“Losing my mom could’ve stopped me from continuing my career. I didn’t let that happen by the grace of God, because my mom instilled in me to not give up. I want to encourage everybody, not just basketball players, to keep going,” she explained.
Success
On her definition of the word success, Wheeler remarked, “Success means trying. People often think success always ends in results. For me, it’s the complete opposite. It’s not about being at the top.”
“As long as you’re trying every day and getting back up when you fail, that’s success to me,” she added.
Message for her fans
For her fans and supporters, expressed said, “Don’t be discouraged. Use my journey and story to keep you motivated and inspired. I am 34 years old and I could have given up at any moment, but I haven’t.”
“I’m using my voice to empower women to get screened, get the PAP and HPV test, talk to their doctors, get the information. I want to encourage women to do that. Never give up—things challenge you, keep going,” she elaborated.
Closing thoughts on Cervical Health Awareness Month
Wheeler remarked, “Please take your health seriously and make getting screened a priority!”
“Women ages 21 to 29 should get a Pap test every three years, and women 30 and up should get both a Pap and HPV test every five years to stay on top of their cervical health,” she said.
“Don’t wait to talk to your doctor about Pap and HPV screening,” she concluded.
To learn more about NBA player Erica Wheeler, follow her on Instagram.