Celebrating Diversity

Honoring Black Excellence: Celebrating Black History Month at Cook Medical

February 28, 2024

At Cook Medical, we take great pride in celebrating Black History Month by acknowledging the remarkable achievements and contributions of Black individuals throughout history. This month offers us opportunities to reflect on the rich cultural heritage and enduring impact of the Black community on our society.

Cook employees at a Black History Month table

Celebrations at Cook: Embracing Diversity and Heritage

During Black History Month, Cook Medical is proud to host a variety of celebratory events that showcase the richness of Black culture and heritage. Our observance includes a virtual event cohosted by our Ethnic Minorities Business Resource Group and Women’s Business Resource Group. This event celebrates the exceptional impact of notable Black women who have made significant contributions to their respective fields. Through storytelling and learning, we aim to honor their achievements and amplify their voices.

Employees distributing snacks for a Black History Month celebration

We are also highlighting the culinary impact on American cuisine through hosting onsite lunches in the cafeterias at many of our US locations, featuring a selection of dishes that reflect the diverse and vibrant food traditions of the Black community. It is an opportunity to enjoy the flavors, learn about the cultural significance, and appreciate the culinary heritage that has enriched American cuisine.

Cook employees at the City of Bloomington’s Black History Month gala

This year, we are also engaging with our local communities in our celebration efforts through sponsoring the City of Bloomington, Indiana’s Black History Month program and attending the Black History Month Gala.

Recognizing Black Innovators: A Legacy of Excellence

Our success at Cook Medical is rooted in a legacy of innovation and collaboration, and we have deep appreciation for the history of medical innovation and the role that Black Americans have played in advancing healthcare.

From the groundbreaking achievements of Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, who performed the world’s first successful open-heart surgery, to the trailblazing work of Dr. Alexa Canady, the first Black female neurosurgeon in the United States, we recognize and honor the contributions of Black innovators in medicine, whose work continues to inspire and shape the future of healthcare.

Cook Medical president Pete Yonkman celebrates with employees

Join Us in Celebration and Commitment

Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is defined not just by singular events but is deeply ingrained in our company culture and values. By fostering an environment where we strive to make sure every voice is heard, every perspective is valued, and every individual is empowered to thrive, we believe we can drive meaningful change in our workplace, local communities, and beyond.

As we commemorate Black History Month at Cook Medical, we invite our employees, partners, and communities to join us not only in celebrating the past achievements of Black individuals but also in committingourselves to creating a more equitable and inclusive future.

Cook Medical’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month

November 1, 2023

Cook Medical came together to celebrate the rich tapestry of Hispanic culture during Hispanic Heritage Month events held at our US locations. Running from September 15 to October 15, Hispanic Heritage Month is not only a time for us to learn about and commemorate the culture, traditions, and history of Hispanic and Latinx communities, but also a time for us at Cook Medical to reflect on the contributions of these groups to medical innovation and to honor the diverse experiences that make our team unique.

This year’s events gave our teams memorable and enriching opportunities to learn about Hispanic pioneers in medicine and Hispanic culture, and to enjoy foods from around the world. Join us as we reflect on the festivities and learning that made this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month an unforgettable celebration.

The Hispanic Heritage themed meal with free beverages and/or churros was a fun way for me to introduce something new to some of my coworkers. It led to great follow-up conversations with new recommendations for local restaurants and tiendas. – Theresa Forshey, Ethnic Minorities Business Resource Group, Cook Medical

Celebrating Hispanic and Latinx culture

Cook employees enjoy churros

Learning about our different cultures helps build connections and better understanding with those we work with. It’s why we incorporate resources and educational events into our celebrations. Joining forces with our Ethnic Minorities Business Resource Group, we held an event featuring music and dance, as well as education on traditions, food, and music across Spanish-speaking countries around the world.

Our US locations also invited employees to come together to savor the delicious flavors of several Hispanic dishes, including tamales, taquitos, and churros while enjoying the sounds of music by Hispanic artists.

Recognizing Hispanic pioneers in medicine

Hispanic pioneers in medicine have made an indelible mark on medicine and improving patient care. From Severo Ochoa, whose groundbreaking discovery of an enzyme that synthesizes RNA led to him being honored as the first Hispanic American to win the

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, to Helen Rodríguez-Trías, whose activism surrounding forced sterilization, as well as care for patients with HIV/AIDS, improved equity, patient consent, and standards of care for all patients, the work of Hispanic and Latinx doctors and scientists has left a lasting impact.

An educational table display about Hispanic Heritage Month

Honoring our values

Our celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month goes beyond the festivities; it reflects our core values of treating everyone with respect and continually improving as an organization. By acknowledging and honoring diverse cultures within our company, we recognize the individuality and contributions of each employee’s experience and create tangible expressions of our commitment to creating an inclusive workplace where every voice is heard, valued, and celebrated.

How Cook Medical celebrated Pride Month

September 8, 2023

Cook Medical celebrates the diversity of our employees and communities around the world and is committed to offering an affirming and welcoming environment for our teams. In June, we held events and trainings for Pride Month, an important celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community. Our senior manager of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Pauli Escobedo, had this to say about Pride:

Celebrating Women’s History Month with Cook Medical

March 29, 2023

In 1987, Congress declared March as National Women’s History Month. This month, here’s how we’ve been reflecting on the incredible contributions that women have made on the field of medicine, as well as current and future initiatives we are working on at Cook to open doors for women to continue to contribute to product innovation, leadership, and better patient outcomes.

By honoring the pioneers who paved the way

Women have contributed a great deal to the field of medicine. In the United States, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first female physician in 1849, after being rejected from ten medical schools. The school she attended had asked male students whether to admit her and they had agreed, believing they were being pranked.

She was closely followed by Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first African American woman to earn an MD degree in the U.S. in 1864 and went on to provide medical care to formerly enslaved people after the Civil War, despite the racism and sexism she faced.

Many other women helped to pave the way in their respective fields, contributing valuable knowledge such as the co-discovery of the structure of DNA, discovering the enzyme telomerase which led to new cancer treatments, and the Apgar score, which is still used today to assess newborn health.

While not a physician, Gayle Cook played a big role in co-founding Cook Medical with her husband Bill. For the first year, she and Bill were the sole employees, with Bill building wire guides and catheters during the day and Gayle inspecting them in the evening for quality control. Once sales started rolling in, Gayle also took on the bookkeeping, invoicing, and correspondence. She used her fine arts background to create the signage Bill used in tradeshow booths. Outside of the business, Gayle became very involved in historic preservation around Indiana and was a founding member of the Monroe County Historical Society Museum, where she is still involved today.

By supporting representation for better patient care

Women in Otolaryngology General Assembly & Luncheon

Women have been historically underrepresented as physicians. Fortunately, the tides have begun to shift. The percentage of doctors who are women increased from 28% to 36% between 2007 and 2019, and in 2019, women made up a majority of medical school student for the first time ever, at 50.5%.

The rising numbers of women in the medical field are important because data from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests better outcomes for female patients when their doctor is a woman.

Cook is working to be more intentional in supporting efforts to amplify women’s voices in medicine throughout the medical specialties where women have typically been underrepresented. This includes seeking out diverse voices for our educational and scientific programming opportunities, as well sponsorship and partnerships with the Endourological Society, Women in Otolaryngology, and Women in Endoscopy.

Additionally, Cook has partnered with several female clinicians on products, including Dr. Amy Thurmond on the Rösch-Thurmond Fallopian Tube Catheterization Set, Dr. Marguerite Shepard on the Shepard Intrauterine Insemination Catheter Set, and Kay Quick, NP, on the Thal-Quick Chest Tube. We are looking to work with more female physicians on projects, technology development, R&D consulting, and medical education courses.

By supporting the advancement of all women

Donations were collected for I Support the Girls during a special Women’s History Month luncheon at Cook headquarters in Bloomington, IN.

Women of all walks of life need support. That’s one of the reasons why in 2022, Cook began Women@Cook, a business resource group for employees throughout the globe. The group was created to advocate for the unique personal and professional needs of employees who identify as women at Cook, connect them to development opportunities, and educate the broader Cook organization on what it means to be inclusive to women.

As with many things at Cook, we strive to bring that spirit of support into the communities where we live and work, upholding our value of giving back. A group of Women@Cook members celebrated Women’s History Month with a luncheon at our Bloomington, IN, headquarters on March 28. At this event, participants held a donation drive for I Support the Girls, which collects hygiene items like menstrual products and bras for people experiencing homelessness. Initial totals show nearly 3,000 products donated, $84 in cash donations to buy more products, and several incoming donations through the organization’s Amazon Wish List.

By recognizing intersectional identities

Intersectionality is the concept that systems of inequality often overlap—for example, gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, parental status, and more. For many, “woman” is just one of several identities, and acknowledging that women are not a monolith helps us to better support the unique obstacles.

To recognize this unique experience, two of our business resource groups—Ethnic Minorities @ Cook and Women @ Cook—will be collaborating to host an event in March called “Intersectionality – Living and Working as an Ethnic Minority Woman”. This discussion is intended to share perspectives with the broader Cook community and highlight the environments where team members felt included or excluded and situations in which they have felt privileged, at a disadvantage, or marginalized.

Banners for Cook’s Ethnic Minorities and Women’s Business Resources Groups

We hope that these continuing conversations will help deepen our understanding of how we must commit to continuing the work toward eliminating all forms of bias and equality in order to achieve true equality.