Rio Ferdinand has joined the advisory board of UK consumer genetic testing company DNAFit.
Rio Ferdinand
The former soccer star says he was motivated by the tragic passing of his wife Rebecca Ellison, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 34 after a short battle with breast cancer, to join DNAFit to search how "we can educate ourselves around preventative health".
Rio said: "I'm extremely excited to be joining the team at DNAFit to help our nation discover the potential of personalised wellness through the use of our genetics. As a sportsman, I can identify with how this unique genetically driven approach can be a bridge to enhance training outcomes and performance. But more than anything, I want to help people live healthier, happier lives. As you know, my own family has suffered huge personal losses to diseases such as cancer, which has motivated me to search for how we can educate ourselves around preventative health. I see my investment into DNAFit as an investment into the future of UK health."
Rio has been appointed as Head Advisor of its Health, Wellness and Sports Advisory Board and Avi Lasarow, CEO of DNAFit, praised Rio's "passion" for discovering more about how our DNA impacts our wellbeing.
Lasarow added: "After meeting Rio, it quickly became clear that our missions are truly aligned. In seeking to change the world of preventative health, we will use genetics to empower people with valuable information that puts them in control of their health.
"As such we are delighted to welcome Rio as a strategic investor and as Head Advisor of the DNAFit Health, Wellness and Sports Advisory Board. Rio's passion in this space is contagious, and he will be a vital part of a new advisory team that will create a pathway to make a significant impact in the health of millions."
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