Women's Day Lunch 2025 | Sofitel Legend The Grand

The 18th edition of our Women’s Day Lunch took place at the magnificent Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam, where we addressed a crucial yet often overlooked topic: women’s health and the gender gap in medical research.

To do so, we had the honor of welcoming Angela Maas, a renowned cardiologist and a pioneer in women's heart health. During her speech, she shared her expertise and highlighted how cardiovascular diseases affect women and men differently. She emphasized the importance of recognizing that "women are not a subpopulation; we are half of the population", reminding us that despite this, women are still often underrepresented in medical research, particularly in cardiology.

“Women's cardiac symptoms are often more subtle and may be perceived differently, which delays diagnosis and treatment.”

Angela Maas explained that women often exhibit different cardiac symptoms than men, leading to a lack of awareness and misdiagnosis of their condition. She also emphasized the importance of medical training to better understand these differences and provide more tailored treatment.

One of her main concerns is the underestimation of cardiac risks in women, due to healthcare systems that largely rely on treatments that are based on studies conducted primarily on men. She stressed the urgent need to rethink medical practices to ensure that women receive the healthcare they deserve.

Thanks to her speech, guests felt empowered and taken into consideration. So our heartfelt thanks to  Angela Maas for her valuable insights and dedication to this important cause.

Our sincere gratitude also goes to Stefan Melcherts and the team at Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam for their outstanding hospitality, as well as to all our guests for their presence and active participation in this essential discussion.

To find out more, here are a few books written by Angela Maas on the subject:

• Hart voor vrouwen -2019
• A Woman's heart - 2020
• De gezondheidskloof - 2024
• Manual of Cardiovascular Disease in Women- 2024

An artistic moment during the meal!
During the meal, inspired by the event and the other guests,  Willem Den Hertog, lawyer at Den Hertog Légal, wrote a short poem:

Hurrah, it's this year's Women's Day again

We celebrate the Second Sex's progress

Which in this Room seems grand indeed, but then

Each woman here has reached much more, and not less

Each one a gleaming pearl of her profession

Each one as competent, or more, as males

So to be present at this lovely session

Is excellent, by which "men only" pales

But still, to have to have a Women's Day

Is shameful, since in fact it is a sign

Of women being regarded in a way

As different, not with men on the same line

So, though we hope that Women's Day will stay

Let's strive to make each day a women's day!

En hier is het Valentijnsgedicht van dit jaar:

De oorlog is verklaard aan alles "woke"

Al kan niemand dat goed definiëren

Maar rechts raakt er enorm van van de kook

En wil het met geweld extermineren

Soms voorrang geven aan achtergestelden?

Discriminatie weren zoals 't hoort?

Vraagtekens zetten bij sommige "helden"?

Divers en inclusief doen, enzovoort?

Dat alles en nog meer, daar zijn ze tegen

Want dat brengt hun positie in het nauw

Hoera, dus! Al die linksen zijn een zegen

Noem ze maar "woke", dan krijgen ze een douw

Omdat wij opstaan tegen dat venijn

Blijf ik jouw, en jij steeds mijn Valentijn!