Women Working Wonders

Women Working Wonders (W3) is an all-volunteer committee of the Sparrow Foundation whose primary mission is to support the psychological and physical health of Mid-Michigan women through community leadership, resource development and outreach initiatives.

Founded in 2002 by Lansing entrepreneur Virginia Hilbert, W3 works tirelessly to support women’s health. The committee is comprised of more than 35 professional women from the Greater Lansing area. Since their beginning, with the generous support of our region, W3 has raised more than $5 million to support women’s health, through signature fundraisers including:

Dapper Dads Challenge: The Dapper Dads Challenge and Fashion show consists of a campaign for online votes from the community and the Dapper Dad's Fashion Show, which is the culmination of the challenge. Each vote costs $5 and all proceeds support the mission of women's health. The suite of Dapper Dads in 2018 raised nearly $1,000,000 to benefit the health of women in our community. Since its inception, this popular event has raised nearly $4.5 million. Every year, local community leaders and professionals, who are passionate about supporting women's health in our region, are recruited to be a new suite of Dapper Dads. There have been 27 Dapper Dads who have earned a place in the Dapper Dads Hall of Fame, having raised $25k or more, with several raising over $200k through the years.

Hats in the Garden: Hats in the Garden is an occasion for women to gather in a beautiful garden, sip champagne, sample sweets and savories, and learn more about W3’s mission to support women’s health needs in our region. Donations benefit the Deb Atkinson W3 Endowment Fund, which also supports women’s health initiatives at UM Health-Sparrow.

Art a la Carte: This event features an art experience on all levels. Guests begin the evening savoring wine and cheese pairings available for purchase, plus small plates, and mocktails, enjoy live music, and browse and bid on the beautiful pieces featured in the live auction. Proceeds from the evening benefit the W3 Stella and Jerry Cash Endowment for Women's Heart Health. 

5K/0K: This run/walk event was held for 10 years (2004-2014) and supported women's health initiatives. 

• A $250,000 MicroSelection HDR V2 that reduces radiation treatment for Patients.
• A state-of-the-art stereotactic breast biopsy machine for UM Health-Sparrow’s Radiology Department.
• A dedicated room for the compassionate treatment of sexual assault victims.  
• A Transition-to-Hospice Program that helps terminally ill patients and their families ease into end-of-life care.
• An Infant Bereavement Program for the heartbreaking times when parents lose a newborn. 
• Pocket-sized cards outlining symptoms of heart disease and stroke specific to women, created and distributed throughout the region.
• A comfortable (and comforting) family lounge in UM Health-Sparrow’s Neurosciences Center.     
• Softer, more comfortable examination gowns for women undergoing mammograms at UM Health-Sparrow.      
• A lactation clinic at UM Health-Sparrow to assist mothers who may have challenges breastfeeding their newborns.        
• The creation of the Deb Atkinson W3 Endowment for women’s health.
• A $1 million gift to UM Health-Sparrow's Herbert-Herman Cancer Center. 
• DigniCap Scalp Cooling System equipment and program support for breast cancer patients.
• Creation of the W3 Mobile Health Endowment to support the UM Health-Sparrow Mobile Health Clinic, caring for the underserved in our region.
• Savi Scout Technology to help treat those on a breast cancer journey.
• A $1 million gift to the “For Every Story There’s UM Health-Sparrow” Campaign, expanding access to care and elevating services across UM Health-Sparrow’s region.

To make a gift in support of women's health services, please visit UM Health-Sparrow.org/Give. To learn more about W3 events and how to get involved, please visit UM Health-Sparrow.org/FoundationEvents, email Foundation@UM Health-Sparrow.org, or call 517.364.3420.