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Here in
Toledo, notes Byrd, there is a much smaller demographic.
“I’d love to have a few thousand people out here,” he adds.
“That has not been the case in the past for whatever reason.
Toledo is a tough nut to crack. It is a challenge to get
people out to participate early Saturday morning.”
Living a
healthy lifestyle is about taking a holistic approach to
maintaining good health.
“Good
health is only maintained through healthy behaviors. We
promote annual doctor visits, while encouraging men to stay
active and know their numbers. This is a key component to
maintaining good health,” says National Project Manager
Carlton Weddington.
AAWALK is
changing an old mindset that has not served the black
community well, say the organizers. “This is about lifestyle
changing opportunities among other complementary services.
This is an African-American male wellness initiative and the
Walk is only one component of the whole,” says Weddington.
There are
a number of non-profit vendors who will be present with
services for not only the men, but the woman and family unit
as well.
“We have
been consistent for seven years here in Toledo and we keep
the same data forms across all event sites following all
HIPPA privacy laws and regulations.. Each year we screen
between the hours of 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and offer between
600-700 individual health screenings within this two hour
window,” says Weddington.
Each
person registers for their free screening and participation
in the walk is also free. After you receive your screening,
you sit down with a nurse practitioner or doctor and go over
your results together with the medical professional, who
will then sign off on the form. Every participant who
completes this process will receive a free AAWALK T-Shirt.
“We want
people to feel confident in our ability to help our own
community and go to the doctor at least once annually,” says
Ri’chard.
African-American men’s life spans are almost 10 years
shorter than other segments of the population for
preventable ailments. Diabetes, high blood pressure and
stroke are a few of the major assailants.
A few
examples of screenings include: vision, hearing evaluations,
prostate, sickle cell, a variety of cardiac EKGs, and HIV
testing with immediate results, to name a few.
When asked
if there will be health insurance company tie-ins available,
project manager Weddington answers with a resounding, “YES!”
There will
be other nonprofit organizations there that will be giving
information. One of the sponsors, Mercy Bon Secours, will
be speaking specifically on these details.
There will
also be managed care providers such as Care Source and
Buckeye Health there to discuss and share information.
Planned Parenthood is a major state-wide supporter this year
as well.
“As we
collect this data, we then turn around and put out a
national data report Which will help the community
understand what is going on and how to address it,” says
Weddington.
“The more
participation we receive, the more information we are able
to provide and give back to places like the CDC. We then
receive funding that goes back into our communities based on
this knowledge.”
Again, the
biggest challenge is that black men do not participate in
surveys nor do they go to the doctor regularly.
“Information needs funding, so if we’re not getting that
information then we are not getting the funding,” says Chief
Byrd. Places such as the CDC (The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention) determine where the funding gets
allocated. They are the national public health institute of
the United States. The CDC is a United States federal agency
under the Department of Health and Human Services and is
headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
As a
result of this new information being collected at the AA
walks nationally, the African-American male community will
have data they have not had previously.
“Going to
the doctor is now a sign of weakness when really it is not.
It is a sign of responsibility,” says Carlton, noting the
view that black males too often have when they see
themselves as the super males who rarely get sick.
As cities
grow AAWALK also conducts “barbershop talks”. Barbershop
talk is the community conversation around mental health and
wellness. Among other subjects, fathers and their children
are taught how to cook healthy meals for under $20.
AAWALK
circles back around and addresses HIV/AIDS awareness and
healthy relationships. That discussion is relevant whether
a relationship is alternative or heterosexual. “We have to
be open about that because that is another issue that we are
dealing with in the African-American community,” says
Weddington.
African
Americans are now becoming at a higher risk for contracting
HIV so the community has to be willing to have these tough
discussions, he adds.
This
initiative will also encompass financial wellness. So the
organizers are bringing in banks, credit unions and credit
repair professionals to help communities thrive as opposed
to merely surviving.
The walk
itself is the most physical component of this initiative and
it is the most powerful component because the opportunities
abound and the health screenings are absolutely free.
Chief
Byrd, Weddington and Ri’chard offer a special thank you to
all the AAWALK sponsors and volunteers who are donating
their time and resources while spreading positive energy,
health and wellness to over 30,000 people nationally.
Catch
AAWALK Ambassador Ri’chard in theatres October 12 as the
leading man in “KINKY,” popularly referred to as the black
“50 Shades.” Also stay tuned to “The Rich and The Ruthless”
(Sept 2018 on UMC), “Throwback Holiday” (this holiday
season), “Bolden” (2019), “My Brother’s Keeper” (2019),
“Real Talk” (2019), and his recurring role on “Family Time”
(Bounce TV).
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