Last October, Community Wellness Nurse Linda Brunk and Wellness Coordinator Lynn Helscher wanted to add support to Aultman’s mission to Lead Our Community to Improved Health, so they established Aultman’s chapter of Walk with a Doc.

Walk with a Doc is a year-round walking program that operates in communities across America and abroad to encourage healthy physical activity for people of all ages. It was created by Dr. David Sabgir, a board-certified cardiologist who practices with Mount Carmel Clinical Cardiovascular Specialists at Mount Carmel St. Ann’s.

“People expressed the need for a program like this in the community. They liked the fact that they can speak with a real doctor on the street – they feel more comfortable talking outside of the office setting,” Linda said. “We have never offered a program where we took physicians out into the community and had them interact with individuals while also providing a physical activity. It truly is about health and wellness at its best – movement and talk.”

Walking is low impact; easier on the joints than running. Walking for as little as 30 minutes a day can have the following health benefits:

• Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
• Maintain body weight and lower the risk of obesity.
• Enhance mental well-being.
• Improve blood lipid profile.
• Reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer.
• Reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

When the program initially started, two participants showed up. But participation grew as the program continued. Dr. John Sutton, a practicing family physician for 20 years and lead Walk with a Doc physician, shows no sign of slowing down. “The connection to the community has been the most rewarding aspect for me. I hope it has been equally rewarding to those who have participated. Leading in collaboration with our community members should continue to strengthen and grow the program. As we grow and improve I hope to see more members of the Aultman community participate in this healthy endeavor,” he said. “I’m looking forward to another year of this wonderful program and to watch its continued growth.”

These walks are free and open to anyone. Each month, participants meet at a safe and local location, briefly discuss a relevant health topic and begin the physician-led walk. Each walk lasts about an hour, and the Working on Wellness (WOW) team is usually there to offer free health screenings as well.

For more information on the Walk with a Doc program, please visit www.walkwithadoc.org. To learn about future Aultman walk locations or for other questions, please contact Linda Brunk at 330-363-3381 or linda.brunk@aultman.com.