The Enduring Power of a Woman's Love and Support - National Voice of ESPN's Monday Night Football, Cayman Kelly, Celebrates Women's History Month

WASHINGTON, March 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Widely recognized voiceover artist Cayman Kelly has more cause than ever to commemorate Women's History Month, highlighting this year's theme: "Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope." On January 17, Kelly experienced a cascading series of health symptoms that included the loss of feeling and sensation in his right hand, along with cognitive impairment and slowing down of his motor responses. He had a stroke. Fortunately for him, his wife was home at the time. Recognizing the symptoms immediately, she convinced him to seek emergency medical care. Kelly credits her quick wits and compassion with saving his life.

"There is not a single day that goes by I don't love and appreciate my wife – we really do have one of those special bonds people hope for," said Kelly. "But nothing proves that more than when things go south. And I mean really bad – like when your own body begins to give out. It's right then you realize having a woman who is a wise, quick judge of what needs to be done makes all the difference. Because like many stubborn men, I kept ignoring what was wrong, thinking it would go away."

"But my wife was not having it," said Kelly. "She is talented in her work, she is an incredible mother, and an equal member of our marriage. And when she said I needed to go to the hospital, I went. If it wasn't for her, there's a possibility that I would not be here today. We absolutely need to recognize the importance and agency of women in our society and stop treating them like second-class citizens. Because women really do hold everything together. They are the best source of healing and hope we have in this world."

The theme of this year's Women's History Month stresses the tireless work of female frontline workers and caregivers during the recent long and ongoing pandemic. But the role of women as society's great healers continues to help "promote and sustain hope for the future." Especially for a world still much in need of compassion and new directions for mental, physical, and psychological wellbeing.

U.S. Women: Some Troubling Statistics*

Despite hundreds of years of equal rights struggles and advances, women continue to be marginalized and undervalued across the globe – often facing harsh obstacles and even harsher punishment for speaking out. In the U.S. alone:

• On any given day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.
• 1 in 7 women have been stalked by an intimate partner, to the point they felt fear they or someone they loved would be a victim to violence.
• 1 in 3 women have experienced some form of physical violence from an intimate partner (slapping, shoving, pushing); while 1 in 4 women have been victims of severe intimate partner physical violence – including beating, burning, and strangling.
• 1 in 5 women have been raped in their lifetime, with almost half of those (46.7%) reporting the assailant was someone they knew.
• Women make up 79% percent of the health and social services workforce and 68.6% of the education services workforce – yet represent 59% of the low-wage workforce.
• Single woman households have the lowest total annual income of all U.S. households, averaging $27,000/year.
• As of 2009, only 24% of CEOs in the U.S. were women, earning only 74.5% as much as their male counterparts.

*Statistics sourced from Ilo.org and NCADV.org. Please call or visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline for free, confidential help if you or anyone you know needs assistance with a domestic violence issue: 1-800-799-7233.

For up-to-the-minute news on Kelly's voice appearances, ESPN show announcements, and other projects, visit him online. And follow Cayman Kelly on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

About Cayman Kelly: The National Voice of ESPN and Monday Night Football

Cayman Kelly is the widely recognized imaging voice for multiple radio stations, including POWER 105.1 in New York, syndicated morning show, "The Breakfast Club," and host of a popular national show on SiriusXM's Heart & Soul. Recently, Kelly was chosen as the featured voice for the SPLAT! "GAME PLAN" image library, and he continues to be the national voice for ESPN and NFL Monday Night Football – the first African American to achieve that position – while also serving as the new imaging voice for the NHL. Learn more about his life and work at: www.CaymanKelly.com.  

SOURCE Cayman Kelly