Kelly Ripa keynotes Michigan Medicine women’s health fundraiser

FRANKLIN, MI – When Kelly Ripa says she considers herself a Michigander, she means it.

The national television host’s son Joaquin Consuelos, a junior wrestler at University of Michigan, is one reason she frequents the state. She is also able to rattle off her favorite Ann Arbor spots, from White Lotus, Sparrow and the Kerrytown Farmer’s Market to even local knitting clubs.

Ripa’s May 5 trip to Michigan was about another one of her passions: women’s health advocacy. She teamed up with Michigan Medicine to help fundraise for a number of women’s health initiatives.

She was the keynote speaker for the Michigan Medicine Women’s Health Luncheon at the Franklin Hills Country Club, 31675 Inkster Road in Franklin.

“Women are fabulous advocates for their friends and family members, but oftentimes we are at a loss when it comes to our own health,” she said Friday. “That’s why we are here today, because women’s health is important.”

The luncheon started in 2022 to raise money for women’s health issues not just related to childbirth, said Dr. Dee Fenner, chair of Michigan Medicine’s department of obstetrics and gynecology. After some outreach throughout the state of Michigan, the luncheon was established to address these other issues, she said.

“Some of the projects supported are basic science looking at infections in pregnancy or looking at infertility in different populations,” she said. “There are projects supporting education for patients using different OBGYN methods, as well as education for medical students to better support transgender care.”

The first fundraiser raised more than $200,000, Fenner said. The goal is to more than double that initial haul this year, she said. This is done through initial donations to attend the luncheon, as well as live auctions for items such as lavish trips abroad.

The first year’s speaker was Michigan women’s basketball coach Kim Barnes-Arico, with master of ceremony duties being done by Detroit television anchor Rhonda Walker. Ripa was joined this year by Detroit sports reporter Jamie Edmonds as the MC.

“We’re so pleased that they have been gracious to give us their time,” Fenner said.

Edmonds led off with comments about how meaningful women’s health care is to her, as she emotionally discussed dealing with infertility for four years before the birth of her first child.

“This can be a challenging topic for women to talk about,” she said, “and sometimes even more difficult to find the care that will help them have a child. I did receive my care at Michigan Medicine, but it has been incredible to learn about the options available to women here and the research being done that would help change lives.”

Ripa and her husband and fellow national television host Mark Consuelos have supported women’s health issues through The Ripa Center for Women’s Health and Wellness at Cooper University Health Care in New Jersey.

Ripa poked fun at her husband with a story one time about leaving him with their three children for a full weekend. She said she needed to hire three babysitters to help him, which playfully told her how important it is to keep herself healthy.

“I had a babysitter greet me at the elevator when I returned, and they said to me this: ‘You can’t die,’” Ripa said to big laughs.

University of Michigan Board of Regents member Denise Ilitch and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Rochester Hills, were among many prominent Michigan women in attendance. The amount of support for women’s health issues was inspiring, Fenner said.

“This is about us being able to help and support the women and people in the state of Michigan,” Fenner said.

For more details about the event, visit victors.us/womenslunch.

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