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The Wright Center for Community Health launches Walk with a Doc program in Lackawanna County
The Wright Center for Community Health is encouraging residents to take a step toward better health with Walk with a Doc, a health program that brings doctors and patients together to walk the first Saturday of every month at 9 a.m. beginning March 2 at the David P. Maslar Memorial Park in Archbald. The walk begins at the Laurel Street Trail Head.
Walk with a Doc is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire communities through movement and conversation.
“This program has had tremendous participation and success in hundreds of cities around the world,” said Nicole Lipinski, a registered nurse and director of the Geriatric Service Line at The Wright Center for Community Health. “I’m very pleased to announce that The Wright Center is bringing this exciting and simple program to Northeast Pennsylvania as it has shown such improved health results for countless people around the world.”
Nicole Lipinski
The walk is open to the community and people of all ages. Participation is free and pre-registration is not required. Walkers will enjoy a refreshing and rejuvenating walk with doctors and other health care professionals, who will provide support to participants and answer questions during the walk.
“Walk with a Doc is honored to team up with The Wright Center for Community Health. By incorporating this program into the practice, The Wright Center for Community Health is demonstrating an exceptional level of care and commitment to the communities they serve,” said Dr. David Sabgir, a cardiologist who founded the Walk with a Doc program.
“There’s no question that increasing exercise, even moderately, reduces the risks of many diseases, including coronary heart disease, breast, and colon cancer, and Type 2 diabetes,” added Lipinski, who spearheads the program at The Wright Center. “Research has shown that you could gain two hours of life for each hour that you exercise regularly.”
Walking as little as 30 minutes a day can improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels, help maintain a healthy body weight, and lower the risk of obesity, enhance mental well-being, and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, according to the American Heart Association.
The Wright Center for Community Health, headquartered in Scranton, operates 10 primary and preventive care practices in Northeast Pennsylvania, including a mobile medical and dental vehicle called Driving Better Health. Its practices offer integrated whole-person care, meaning patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services.
For more information about The Wright Center for Community Health’s Walk with a Doc program, contact Lipinski at lipinskin@TheWrightCenter.org.
