Holding on to the Mission: Why SGO’s Shift from DIHE to HABE Is About Our Enduring Purpose

Words matter. But the mission matters more.

In 2025, amid a rapidly changing federal and policy environment, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) made the decision to rename one of its standing committees. The Diversity, Inclusion, and Health Equity (DIHE) Committee became the Health, Access, Belonging, and Engagement (HABE) Committee.

For some, a change in terminology raises understandable questions: Has the work changed? Has the mission changed?

The answer is no.

This was a shift in language, not a shift in goals.

The purpose of the committee remains firmly aligned with SGO’s mission: advancing excellence in gynecologic cancer care through education, research, advocacy, and collaboration while improving outcomes for all patients and supporting the professional growth of our members. HABE represents an evolution in how we communicate our work, not a retreat from why the work exists.

Academic medicine and specialty societies, like the SGO, have always carried a dual responsibility: advancing science and serving the public good. Improving access to high-quality care, strengthening the workforce, expanding clinical research participation, fostering environments where innovation thrives, and improving health outcomes are not activities adjacent to our mission – they are the mission.

This is particularly true in gynecologic oncology.

Patients do not experience cancer in a vacuum. Outcomes are shaped by where people live, whether they can access specialty care, whether they trust healthcare institutions, whether they can enroll in clinical trials, whether they feel seen and supported during treatment, and whether our workforce and scientific community are equipped to ask better questions and generate better answers.

As we move from DIHE to HABE, creating common language can help anchor us in the work. That is why language such as health, access, belonging, and engagement matters.

These concepts are not replacements for earlier priorities; they are additional ways of describing the same commitments

A Shared Glossary for HABE

Diversity

Diversity reflects the range of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives, identities, and ways of thinking that strengthen organizations and improve decision-making. In medicine and science, diversity includes not only demographics but also geography, training, discipline, experience, and lived perspective.

Research consistently demonstrates that diverse teams produce more rigorous analysis, generate more innovative solutions, and avoid groupthink. Diverse research teams have also been associated with greater scientific impact and broader translational potential.

Inclusion

Inclusion is the intentional creation of environments where individuals feel respected, supported, and able to contribute fully.
Inclusion means creating cultures where people feel safe enough to ask questions, exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and participate meaningfully. Inclusive environments support learning, strengthen teams, and allow excellence to emerge from the broadest possible pool of talent.

Health Equity

Health equity refers to creating fair opportunities for all individuals to achieve their highest attainable level of health.

Health equity is not about guaranteeing identical outcomes. It focuses on identifying barriers that influence access, participation, and outcomes and applying evidence-based approaches to improve systems of care.

In gynecologic oncology, this includes improving access to prevention, diagnostics, treatment, clinical trials, survivorship services, and high-quality specialty care.

Access

Access means more than availability.

It refers to the ability of patients, learners, and professionals to obtain and benefit from healthcare, education, research opportunities, and advancement.

Access includes affordability, geography, communication, trust, navigation, and system design.

Belonging

Belonging is the experience of being accepted, valued, and connected.

Belonging goes beyond participation. It means individuals see themselves as people who can contribute, succeed, and grow.

Evidence increasingly recognizes belonging as a fundamental human need associated with professional engagement, psychological well-being, and organizational performance.

Engagement

Engagement is active partnership.

It means involving patients, members, trainees, and communities in meaningful ways that shape decisions and outcomes.

Engagement emphasizes listening, transparency, accountability, and shared responsibility.

Lean Into Mission

In times of uncertainty, organizations can become preoccupied with defending terminology instead of advancing purpose. But words alone do not improve patient outcomes. People do. Science does. Systems do. The question is not whether terminology evolves. The question is whether the mission remains intact.

For SGO, the answer is clear.

• We continue to pursue better outcomes for patients.
• We continue to support research that defines the next era of gynecologic cancer care.
• We continue to strengthen access to opportunity.
• We continue to build professional environments where clinicians, trainees, scientists, and staff can thrive.
• We continue to engage communities and improve trust.

The language may adapt. The mission does not.

As members of SGO, we can continue to ask for transparency and communication. We must always think about representation and perspective. And most importantly, focus on access and health outcomes for all. All the while ensuring compliance with evolving legal standards.

As we navigate changes together, let us remember to stay anchored in purpose, hold on to the mission, and continue the work.

Explore how SGO is advancing research, education, advocacy, and collaboration to improve outcomes for patients with gynecologic cancers. Visit https://www.SGO.org to learn more.