In the COVID-19 pandemic atmosphere of 2020, events of all kinds have transferred festivities to the virtual world.
The annual fundraiser for Dignity Health Chandler Regional Medical Center is following suit in keeping with local social-distancing guidelines.
The Heroes in Health Care community run unites hospital staff, business partners, friends and family in support of the health care teams at Dignity’s Chandler hospital. While the teams will not be together in person at a traditional community run, participants are encouraged to raise funds and get moving in their neighborhood, park or on their treadmills to honor health care heroes who are working on and supporting the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Event participants will receive a State Forty Eight shirt and a custom face mask. Philanthropic contributions to this effort make a difference at Dignity Health, a charitable organization committed to caring for the poor and disenfranchised, by directly supporting critical programs and advancing health care for the rapidly-growing East Valley community.
Proceeds from the run benefit many teams at Chandler Regional including some of Dignity Health’s Community Health programs, such as the Healthier Living Program. Since April 2016, the Healthier Living Program has provided free health education workshops to more than 1,500 seniors and other vulnerable populations.
The program empowers participants to actively take charge of their health and well-being. This much-needed program helps to improve patients’ quality of life and only exists through grant funding and donations.
“We are transforming lives one person at a time,” said Sherri Eshkibok, program manager for the program. “I am so grateful to be able to offer such a powerful program to the community. This type of free self-management health education is particularly beneficial for adults with chronic conditions, but it is even more impactful for the elderly and underserved populations who often live with multiple chronic conditions and are socially isolated – especially in today’s COVID environment.
“I have been blessed to witness just how much this program can help reduce the loneliness and resulting depression that isolation often creates.”
Participants are asked to be safe and get active in the community in honor of their health care team on or before Saturday, Oct. 24. The virtual event costs $40. Register, donate and invite others to donate at bit.ly/2020HeroesEV.
