Southwest Organizing Project’s (SWOP) Healthy Southwest team has worked in collaboration with Partners in Health to bring Walk with a Doc campaign to southwest Chicago. Walk with a Doc is an international nonprofit organization started in Columbus Ohio. In 2005, a cardiologist, Dr. Sabgir invited 100 patients and community members to go for a walk with him in a local park. Since that successful day, the movement has spread around the globe and now over 600 chapters exist in 47 states and 45 countries.

The Southwest Organizing Project and Healthy Southwest presents the Southwest Chicago chapter of Walk with a Doc. Every Saturday morning from June 3rd-October 28 at 9-10:30am, the community meets at Marquette Park's Martin Luther King Jr. Living Memorial for their weekly walk. People of all ages, fitness levels, and backgrounds are welcome to these free, ongoing events. A physician or healthcare provider starts the event with a brief discussion (in English and Spanish) on a health topic of their choice, then spends the rest of the time walking and talking with participants in a fun, relaxed setting. Each walk will foster physical activity, health education, social connection, and health benefits of spending time outdoors.

SWOP has held two “Walk with a Doc” events to date, with the first being a general health discussion held by Dr. Ushan Ranasinghe, MD and the most recent walk led by Dr. Evan Lyon to discuss the topic of Mental Health Awareness. Additionally Public Health Ambassadors (PHAs) from eight different organizations attend to connect with community members and provide much needed wraparound resources. For more information on how to attend a walk or get involved, follow the link below.

https://walkwithadoc.org/join-a-walk/locations/chicago-illinois-swop/

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