b'You have to wash off the conversation from the lastIm thrilled that myOften, a police officer patient and see the person in front of you for whogift to health equityjoins for safety, a reminder they are. And you cant just tell them what to do withoutsupports communitythat for some community knowing what they face in their daily life, Muriel adds.health workers whomembers, exercise is not Maybe they have stresses we need to factor in. Maybe theyalways as simple as just have to rely on the bus system. Maybe theyre choosinggo out into ourgoing for a walk. between utility bills or going to the doctor. Its important tocommunities, connect find out whats inhibiting them from being healthy.with people, and letI want them to take back them know that Conetheir communities and feel Lived experience also helps. safe and get what they need Health has a presencefor their wellbeing, Muriel I was in the demographic where I was in between: I wasthere. Communitysays. working and had insurance, but I couldnt afford to use ithealth workers spread because it was a high deductible, she explains. Luckily, mycare, access andNext time, she hopes to children and I were pretty healthy, but for so many people,hope, which is crucialinvite someone who could just a couple of dollars separates them from having healthaddress financial literacy and care. I have the lived experience, and I come from the kind ofto building healthieroffer tips on saving money communities we serve. communities. and budgeting. It is really about making sure people Muriel grew up in Woodmere Park in East Greensboro. Her MAE DOUGLAS,know that good health is parents still reside there. Honestly, its drastically differentBOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR,about your whole wellbeing.now, she says. It was idyllic back then. We had two grocery2021-2024stores close by. Im seeing it slowly come back together,Muriel has organized these though, and Im hoping that the whispers of a real foodmonthly walks for about grocer come true because we need that. a year now. She started them after she lost more than 100 pounds walking on her own on the very same path, little by What we build together as a community impacts health. Alittle, first 10 minutes, then 20, eventually an hour each time. nearby grocery store and cooking classes can help community members prepare heart-healthy meals. A community healthLittle by littlethats how some of the most powerful changes worker can reach people in countless life-changing ways. happen. One walk at a time. One conversation at a time. * * * One community health worker. One health system. Its Monday and Muriel waits for the others toOne donor. arrive. She has organized another of her Community Health Walks for her neighbors around Woodmere. This is not aMany individuals working together toward a common goal: Cone Health-sponsored gathering, but it was inspired by thehealthier communities. health systems successful Walk with a Doc events. I tryIts like Muriel says: You cant walk in the world by yourself. to have a clinician or a nurse join us, Muriel says. Maybe aEverybody needs somebody.social worker or a pharmacist. I had a chiropractor come to two of the walks. Its informal and very relaxed so peopleI feel like something amazing is slowly coming together at enjoy being able to ask questions while they exercise. Cone Health, she adds. Its wonderful to be at the start of it. the giving effect202421'