CEO Christine Finnegan reveals health battles in Vitamins, presented by St Lukes

Tasmania JackJumpers CEO Christine Finnegan has revealed the severity of her recent health battles in an effort to raise awareness around women’s health issues on the club’s podcast - Vitamins, presented by St Lukes.

Speaking on the first Episode of Season 2 of Vitamins, Finnegan revealed a lengthy battle with endometriosis that led to recent surgery, which saw her step away from the club for six weeks.

“I've had terrible battles with endometriosis, including in the fertility stage when I was trying to have children” Finnegan explained.

“I was blessed with a child, but some people that suffer endo don't actually get that same blessing so it's something that's very close to my heart, and my heart bleeds for those that haven't had the, I guess, the opportunity and the success that I had in that.

“But endo has led me to some problems later in life, and I've finally dealt with that recently. And I must say that it's hard at times to get out of bed as a female leader when you are dealing with a lot of things behind the scenes but I've learned that keeping them to yourself proves nothing and does nothing” she said before going on to detail complications around recent major surgery.

Finnegan appeared on the first episode as the club’ celebrated five years of ‘Defending the Island’ on Thursday at the club’s 5^th birthday.

An inaugural staff member of the Tasmania JackJumpers since 2020, Finnegan unpacked her 25 year journey as an administrator in professional sport and the trajectory that led her to the JackJumpers on the 30 minute episode.

“The greatest highlight has been me finding my happy place here in Tasmania. I created a home here. I moved here in COVID and quickly found my place here. And I've met some wonderful people, both business people and I've met some wonderful people through our membership group, but I've also made some incredible friends along the way. So I've definitely found a wonderful home here.”

“A lot of people said they'd never been to a basketball game before (the first JackJumpers game), but how quickly they grew to love it and latch onto it. And it all started right there. And I remember the feeling. after the game and I must say I actually think I shed a few tears of pure joy just that not only had we won but we'd actually got this team on the court in such a short space of time” Finnegan explained.

Finnegan was generous with the detail she shared and what she has learnt over the journey of her career.

“I think my greatest lessons have been to listen more. Like, you know, there was a stage when I thought I needed to have all the answers, but I've actually realised— and this was a piece of advice I got from (Melbourne Storm Head Coach and friend) Craig Bellamy— is ‘Put good people around you and be prepared to listen to them’.

“I'm not a subject matter expert at everything; I can't possibly be.

“We have five pillars that make our club successful, and I put five experts around me, and I should be prepared, given that I've given them the roles to be the subject matter experts, to be prepared to take advice from them. It's something that I've had to evolve into and listen to over time, but I think that's probably been the most valuable piece of advice and my greatest learning along the way.

“The second piece of advice is that sometimes you can feel really intimidated about the tables you sit at. especially about some of the people that you sit at with those tables. And I would say you've earned your place there. So instead of leaning away from them, lean into them because you're obviously there for a reason” she said.

Vitamins presented by St Lukes explores the stories of some of the key people that make the JackJumpers tick and help Defend the Island, both on and off the court.

Episodes are released weekly on Thursdays.