Community invited to get active, 'Walk with a Doc'
One in four adults in Henry County are physically inactive and nearly one in three are considered obese, according to a recent health needs assessment by Piedmont Healthcare. To help the community get active and have better access to physicians, Piedmont Healthcare is piloting a health and group fitness program called Walk with a Doc.
“This program was designed to help people in Henry County take charge of their health,” said Holly Lang, director of Community Benefits and External Affairs for Piedmont Healthcare. “We know it is important to stay active and see a primary care physician regularly but often times, people find it difficult to keep up. Walk with a Doc addresses both issues by giving people an opportunity to get the exercise they need and the ability to ask a doctor general health questions.”
Beginning in March and continuing through July, Piedmont Henry Hospital will coordinate monthly Walk with a Doc walks from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Heritage Park in McDonough. Participants will receive a free pedometer to help them keep track of the number of steps taken and a free Walk with a Doc t-shirt. Doctors will take five minutes to talk on a health topic of their choice and participants can ask questions freely for the remainder of the session.
Participants should meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Veterans Wall of Honor located in Heritage Park at 101 Lake Dow Road in McDonough. Follow signage on event day. Registration is required at piedmont.org under the Search Classes & Events tab or by phone at 1-877-527-3712. Walk events will be held at multiple metro Atlanta sites so be sure to select the Henry walk event. Participants are encouraged to attend as many walks as possible. Please register for each walk that you plan to attend.
The schedule for Walk with a Doc is as follows:
Walk with Clarisa Haugabrook, M.D. Saturday, August 23 at 8:30 a.m. Dr. Haugabrook is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans and completed her internship at Tulane University School of Medicine. Talk to Dr. Haugabrook about general wellness and prevention issues.