By Bill Carey
EMS1
SANTA MONICA, Calif. — For the first time, the over 250 healthcare professionals who are part of the medical staff for Team USA have a uniform.
Figs, a medical apparel brand and the first company led by two female co-founders to go public, partnered with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to achieve this milestone, Fortune WELL reported.
When Figs co-founder and CEO Trina Spear and co-founder Heather Hasson suggested the idea to the USOPC, they were surprised to learn that Team USA medical staff had no official outfitter and were responsible for their own attire, according to Fortune WELL.
“This is the first time ever that a medical team has been outfitted for any country for the Olympic Games,” Spear said. “It is very much about something that speaks to our overall mission and values as a company from day one: putting health care professionals in the spotlight that they deserve. Usually, they’re behind the scenes, but not anymore. This is about showcasing the people serving all of us, serving humanity, and in this case, serving athletes.”
Team USA medical staff are thrilled with their new uniforms, according to Spear. Dr. Gloria Beim, a Team USA physician since the 2004 Athens Olympics.
“When I was first approached by Figs about this partnership, my immediate thought was, ‘What an amazing opportunity to spotlight health care professionals, especially post-COVID,’” Beim said. “As a surgeon in a small town, I see my patients outside of the hospital and feel their appreciation regularly. However, my colleagues across the country don’t all get that level of respect for the work that they do every single day.”
