Teresa Hendricks-Pitsch is the 2014 Women of Achievement & Courage in Healthcare – West Michigan honoree in the Advocacy category. The awards were established in 1990 to honor and recognize women whose accomplishments inspire others to achieve their life goals and undertake challenges making a positive difference for individuals, communities, and Michigan.
“I’m really grateful for the award because of the spotlight it puts on Michigan Breast Density Inform bills introduced by Sen. Hildebrand and Rep. Winnie Brinks, and the role this award plays in greater informing women about their increased risk for breast cancer. Without these laws, most women won’t know to ask for their density score. This means they won’t realize that cancer can hide on a mammogram if they have dense tissue, nor that the dense tissue can increase their risk by up to six times. I’m honored to be included in the women receiving the awards and have a lot of admiration and respect for their work. I support Tammy Born and the Born Clinics’ approach to integrated medicine, which helped me get through chemotherapy with minimal side effects. And the work of Van Andel Institute is our best chance for finding a cure. I’ve dedicated a large amount of resources and time to funding that research with leadership from Carol Van Andel, Jamie Mills, and Sarah Christopher; Jamie nominated me for this honor. We’ve hosted a series of luncheons in Grand Rapids and Troy to raise money. In my day job, for Migrant Legal Aid, I’ve always advocated for the underdog. My own situation led me to the breast cancer advocacy.”
Teresa is a breast cancer survivor, a women’s health advocate, an owner-attorney with the law firm of Hendricks & Watkins, PLC, and the executive director of Michigan Migrant Legal Aid, a nonprofit legal service. She graduated from Purdue University with distinction, and obtained her law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. She has been in private practice for close to twenty years.
Teresa is a member of Scribes, the American Society of Writers on Legal Subjects. She has published numerous legal articles and books, has been an adjunct law professor, and has appeared on local and national television on behalf of many of her clients. She is admitted to the Michigan Supreme Court, Federal and Tribal Courts, and the United States Supreme Court. While in Europe, she attended the University of Madrid, Spain, and studied law in Barcelona, Spain, and Bordeaux, France.
Click here for information on the Women of Achievement & Courage West Michigan Celebration.
