Walk With a Doc in Gouverneur draws over 25 participants

by Rachel Hunter

The first Walk With a Doc in Gouverneur in 2024 drew over 25 participants on Saturday, February 24 to the Gouverneur Middle School. The free event was rescheduled after it was postponed from January due to inclement winter weather. Bright sunshine under a cloudless sky with chilly temperatures greeted North Country residents as they traveled to the event, made possible thanks to the Community Health Center of the North Country, St. Lawrence County Public Health Department, and a Bridge To Wellness: St. Lawrence County Health Improvement Plan.

Promptly at the 10 a.m. start time, Community Health Center of the North Country Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships Ray Babowicz welcomed all in attendance. “Thank you for coming out this morning. I know it is a month later than we originally had anticipated.” Mr. Babowicz said this is the sixth year the event has been held in Gouverneur, with only a few events getting canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. It was noted that one participant, Kay Church of Gouverneur, has been in attendance at 99 percent of the local events.

The featured speaker was Brittany Terpstra, Physician Assistant, of the Community Health Center of the North Country in Gouverneur. Brittany is a North Country native and is proud to expand equitable access to healthcare for residents of Gouverneur and surrounding communities. Brittany graduated from SUNY Potsdam with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with minors in both Chemistry and Health Sciences before receiving her Registered Nursing degree from SUNY Canton. She then went on to get her Masters of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Daemen College outside of Buffalo. She is seeing patients of all ages at CHCNC-Gouverneur, 77 W. Barney St., Gouverneur.

“Thank you for coming out,” Terpstra said. “When we were thinking about things to talk about today, the first thing that came to mind is, with winter, it’s cold and flu season. How can we try to stay healthy and protect ourselves and our families from getting sick? The first thing is, try to stay home if you are sick. But some of the ways we can prevent being sick is, of course, washing our hands. Everyone knows you are supposed to wash your hands with soap and water for about 30 seconds. Hand sanitizer is very effective as well. The thing you want to look for is mechanically rubbing your hands together, getting in between your fingers. Just simply washing your hands doesn’t do anything. You have to get in there and scrub it out. Other things you can do is be active, like we are today. Try to stay as active as possible. Eat a well-balanced diet. If you are sick, try to stay home. You can wear a mask too if that helps you be more comfortable. Other things you can do to boost your immune system are: Zinc is a wonderful thing to take to boost your immune system, along with Vitamin C.” Other ideas, such as opening the windows in your home, getting rest, and exercise, were mentioned by attendees of all ages, including the youngest set.

For the next hour, the attendees were invited to walk the halls at the Gouverneur Middle School. Local health practitioners in attendance included Pediatrician Dr. Donald Schuessler, Jr., MD, FAAP, Brittany Terpstra, PA, of the Community Health Center of the Country in Gouverneur, and St. Lawrence Health’s Nikita D. Goliber, FNP-C.

Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that Walk With a Doc is a local chapter of an international 501(c)3 that is inspiring communities through movement and conversation. With an aim to make hope and health accessible to everyone around the world, the doctor-led walking groups are safe, fun and a free place to get in some steps, learn about health, and meet new friends.

Walk With A Doc was started in 2005 by Dr. David Sabgir, a cardiologist in Columbus, Ohio. Frustrated with his inability to affect behavior change in the clinical setting, Dr. Sabgir invited his patients to go for a walk with him in a local park on a spring Saturday morning. To his surprise, over 100 people showed up, energized and ready to move.

Since that first event in 2005, Walk with a Doc has grown as a grassroots effort with a model based on sustainability and simplicity. A doctor gives a brief presentation on a health topic and then leads participants on a walk at their own pace. In 2009, Walk With A Doc became an official 501(c)(3) and added an Executive Director with a focus on building a program that could easily be implemented by interested doctors in other cities around the country. As a result of these efforts, the reach of Walk with a Doc now extends all around the globe with over 500 chapters worldwide, including Walk with a FUTURE Doc chapters led by medical students.

Walking was recognized by the Surgeon General of the United States of America as one of the single most important things we can do for our health. Now, as we usher in 2023, is the time to join the movement in making health and happiness accessible for all.

Walk With A Doc has released a list of 100 reasons why walking is important, and it can be viewed online at walkwithadoc.org. Did you know that walking is one of the best things you can do for your health? Many diseases, conditions, and ailments can be prevented or even healed by participating in regular physical activity. Fortunately, even moderate-intensity aerobic activity such as walking can provide these health benefits.

All North Country residents are encouraged to keep exercising throughout the winter months. The Gouverneur Central School District has announced that they have once again opened both the elementary and middle schools to hall walking during the evening hours. The Gouverneur Middle School is open for hall walking on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and the Gouverneur Elementary School is open for walking on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please call or stop by either building to fill out an application to participate.

The next Walk With a Doc in Gouverneur is scheduled to be held at the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fairgrounds on September 14. There also will be a Walk With a Doc in Hammond on April 20. More details will be published in upcoming editions of the Gouverneur Tribune Press. For more information on Walk With a Doc, visit walkwithadoc.org.