Take 30 minutes, join MUSC START! Walking Day April 20 4/15

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Take 30 minutes, join MUSC START! Walking Day April 20

Physical inactivity doubles the risk of heart disease, so MUSC will be celebrating the American Heart Association's National START! Walking campaign, Wednesday, April 20.

MUSC employees will join companies, organizations, and individuals across America to wear sneakers to work, take 30 minutes to walk and pledge to live heart-healthy lives. The celebrations will be held at noon April 20 at the Colbert Education Center & Library with walking routes beginning and ending there and at the MUSC Wellness Center.

Participants are asked to check in at one of the two locations for maps and to fill out a raffle ticket. Prizes will be awarded at the end of the event and free water and apples will be available to walkers, along with information on fitness and nutrition. Vendors also will provide a quick and healthy lunch after the walk. Departments are encouraged to do the walk as a group and consider making this a regular activity.

The MUSC Lean Team leads a free walk every Saturday at 8 a.m. over the Ravenel Bridge. The group meets on the Charleston side at a city parking lot at the intersection of East Bay and Cooper streets. Participants can walk from 2.8 to 5 miles. Participants can receive a weekly e-mail and pictures from the walk and the cumulative mileage. After three walks, they earn a Lean Team T-shirt.

For more information, contact leanteam@musc.edu or call 579-4316 or visit http://www.musc.edu/leanteam.
Family Medicine staff Shawn Olmstead, Brian Parks, Yan Patrick Gros, Queen Haynes, Karen Driggers, Catherine Edwards, Stella Seels and Evelyn Brown made the pledge to start walking and become more active and heart healthy in the workplace.

They took a 30 minute walk around Colonial Lake on National Start! Walking Day, April 6 and plan to participate in MUSC's START! Walking celebration April 20.

The staff of 4 East Ashley River Tower will begin "Walking the Walk" this week in preparation for National "Start" Walking Day on April 20. They work on a cardiothoracic surgery floor and want to set a good example for their patients. Coworkers will meet on Wednesday and Saturday mornings at various locations including the Ravenel Bridge, the beach and walking trails in the Charleston County Parks. Walkers are encouraged to bring family and friends along as they support each other on the journey to wellness.

Employee Wellness events
Chair massages: Free massages are offered to employees on Tuesday nights and midday Wednesdays. Look for broadcast messages for locations and times.

MUSC employee fitness series: A free circuit training class will be held from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m., April 20 at the MUSC Wellness Center. Participants will also receive a free one-day pass to the wellness center. E-mail musc-empwell@musc.edu to register.

Wellness Wednesday: Functional fitness training is vital to prolonging a healthy and injury free life. It is a total body conditioning program that incorporates dynamic strength, flexibility and agility training, while focusing on proper alignment, technique and core control. Visit Jennie Brooks, MUSC Wellness Center's director of personal training at Children's Hospital Lobby from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to learn more functional fitness training.

Mobile mammograms: The Hollings Cancer Center Mobile Van will be conducting mammograms from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 20 next to the Basic Science Building loading dock, behind the College of Dental Medicine.
Call 792- 0878 to schedule an appointment.

Worksite screening: The next screening will be held April 21 in Room 628 Basic Science Building. The screening is $15 with the State Health Plan and advanced payment is required.
Register at http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/ health1st.

Farmers market: Fresh fruits and vegetables are available from local farmers Fridays from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Be sure to check out the newest addition—Giddy Goat Cheese from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Horseshoe market.

Find us on Facebook! Like our page and keep up with all the wellness events at MUSC.
Contact Susan Johnson at johnsusa@musc.edu to become involved in employee wellness at MUSC. Events, speakers, classes or any other ideas are welcome.

Friday, April 15, 2011

The Catalyst Online is published weekly by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. The Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to The Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.