How the WNBA’s Erica Wheeler Is Bringing Awareness to Cervical Cancer Screenings

The Seattle Storm guard has partnered with Hologic to promote PAP and HPV tests.

Erica Wheeler / Courtesy of Hologic

When she was a junior at Rutgers, Erica Wheeler’s beloved mother, Melissa Cooper, died of Stage 4 cervical cancer. The professional athlete, who went undrafted in 2013, made her way into the league by becoming an undrafted free agent, ultimately signing with the Atlanta Dream two years later.

After a brief stint with the New York Liberty, Wheeler played for the Indiana Fever starting in 2016, and the 34-year-old Miami native was named WNBA All-Star Game MVP in 2019. Following a period of time with the Los Angeles Sparks and a return to both the Atlanta Dream and Indiana Fever, Wheeler signed with the Seattle Storm in February 2025.

Throughout the 2025 regular season, Wheeler averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Her journey has been an inspirational one, and Wheeler credits the tenacity that was instilled in her by her mother for continuing to pursue her dreams in the league despite initially going undrafted.

“ She would just be so proud that I didn’t give up, I didn’t get discouraged,” Wheeler tells SI Lifestyle of Cooper. “... [She’d be proud that] I’m inspiring at the same time because that's who she was as a mother. She always wanted to put good out in the world, and I think that’s what I’m doing.”

Erica Wheeler / Alika Jenner/Getty Images

Championing cervical cancer awareness

Off the court, Wheeler uses her platform to promote causes that are near and dear to her heart, including her new partnership with Hologic that aims to increase awareness around cervical cancer screenings. The Ultimate Defense campaign, launched on Tuesday, Jan. 13, urges women to get their preventative PAP and HPV screenings, and comes at a pivotal time during the month of January, which serves as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.

Wheeler, who describes her mother as an energetic, kind and loving presence, is proud to use her platform to bring awareness to cervical cancer, a disease that resulted in an estimated 4,320 deaths in 2025 alone. Though cervical cancer rates have been on the decline, there are still approximately 13,000 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed annually in the U.S.

Prevention is key, and that means getting regular HPV and PAP screenings. It’s recommended for women between the ages of 21 and 29 to get a PAP screening once every three years, while women age 30 and up should get a PAP and HPV screening once every five years.

“Life kinda can get the best of you,” Wheeler admits. “You can get super busy and how often do we put off appointments because we get super busy? [Like my mom] being a single parent, you have three kids, you can get super busy and you can just miss [your screening appointment]. Cervical cancer is one of those things that you can miss and that can escalate very fast, so being able to be a voice to encourage women and empower women to talk to their doctors, get screened and learn more information, I will advocate 100 times every time.”

Erica Wheeler / Courtesy of Hologic

Wheeler, who is currently competing for Unrivaled’s Vinyl Basketball Club, says she hopes to save lives by sharing her story. In being vulnerable, she aims to empower other women who, unlike her mother, can catch the disease early on through regular screenings.

“ I’m honored to be able to always share my story and tell the world about my mom and be able to honor her in every way I can,” Wheeler says. “... I think  I’m just in a great position being a woman of color, being a top tier athlete that can advocate how important it is to talk to your doctor and get the information and get the screening.”

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