Every so often, a moment comes along that makes you pause, take a deep breath, and think, Wow, we really did this.

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To see Teal Health featured in a publication like TIME feels surreal. For me, TIME has always represented something lasting, a place where the world’s defining ideas and innovations are captured. Growing up, it was the magazine you’d see on coffee tables, shaping how people saw the world. To see the Teal Wand among its pages now feels deeply meaningful. It’s the kind of moment that would’ve made my parents so proud, as that coffee table was our coffee table. 

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When we started Teal Health, our mission was simple but bold, make cervical cancer screening more comfortable and accessible for all women. What began as a single idea, that women deserve better options, has grown into a larger effort to redesign care to focus on the women’s experiences and perspective, one that builds trust and is welcoming.

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None of this would have been possible without the incredible team behind Teal. They are scientists, engineers, designers, clinicians, and perfectionists who show up every day driven by a shared purpose to make healthcare work better for women. They’ve spent years listening, iterating, and building with care.

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Being named one of TIME’s Best Inventions is not only a recognition of a product. It is recognition of a shift that is already underway in women’s health.

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For too long, women’s health has been underserved, underfunded, and overlooked. This moment signals that innovation in women’s health belongs right alongside the world’s most transformative ideas shaping the future.

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The Teal Wand is more than a device. It’s a symbol of what happens when science, empathy, and determination come together and when women’s experiences guide the design of their own care.

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This recognition is an incredible milestone for our team, and we’re just getting started. We are expanding quickly across the nation, and holding on to our mission to get every woman and person with a cervix screened for cervical cancer. Together, we can eliminate this disease. 

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Moments like this remind me why we started, why we keep showing up for the hard work, and how much more we can achieve when purpose leads the way.

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Truly, thank you. 

Kara Egan

CEO & Co-founder, Teal Health

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