Venus Williams, Britcay Promote Wellness

By Stuart Wilson

Tennis star Venus Williams was in the Cayman Islands to speak to an audience of young athletes and professionals about health and wellness on 14th June.

The event, which was hosted by CG Britcay at the Ballroom in the Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman, featured a panel discussion entitled:  ‘Strive Forward: A Conversation with Venus Williams,” that focused on many of the challenges she faced during her tennis career, including serious health issues such as uterine fibroids and Sjögren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease.

Known as one part of the sister duo that captivated tennis audiences around the world for many years, Venus boasts an extraordinary resume which includes 49 WTA Tour-level singles titles, featuring seven Grand Slams – five at Wimbledon and two at the US Open.

She is also an Olympics gold medalist in addition to being the winner of the 2008 WTA Tour Championships, and securing 22 doubles titles including 14 majors and three additional Olympic gold medals.

Group Corporate Wellness Manager Donovan Ingraham for British Caymanian explained that Venus Williams was a perfect fit for the company’s ethos.

“We believe in the power of real stories to inspire healthier living, resilience, and performance, and when possible, we invite guest speakers to our markets to help bring our wellness message to life across the Caribbean,” he remarked.

“We recently rebranded our wellness programme from ‘Zest Wellness’ to ‘CG Wellness’ to reflect the programme’s deep integration into CG’s health and medical insurance offerings. This event marked an important milestone in the programme’s evolution, reinforcing our commitment to preventative health, empowering individuals to take charge of their wellbeing, and helping to build healthier communities and workforces across the region,” added Mr. Ingraham.

“The message is simple: we believe in investing in prevention, not just paying for treatment. Helping people stay healthy costs less than treating them when they’re sick, and that’s better for everyone - our members, employers, and the wider community,” he said. 

“CG Wellness is how we put that belief into practice, and we want our members to know that their health and wellbeing matter to us beyond just an insurance policy. By showcasing athletes who have made health, discipline, and wellness central to their success, we are providing inspirational stories and real-life applications that demonstrate what is possible when wellbeing becomes a priority,” noted Mr. Ingraham.

Venus Williams was a natural fit, according to the CG Britcay Wellness Manager.

“Beyond her achievements in sports, she’s spoken openly about being diagnosed with Sjögren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune condition, and how that changed her entire approach to health and wellness.

“Her story resonates with everyday people managing their own health challenges, and that’s exactly the kind of conversation we want to encourage through CG Wellness. We’ve hosted similar events in Bermuda and The Bahamas and this year we expanded the initiative to include the Cayman Islands,” he said.