Annual Dr. Nelson L. Adams Walk A Mile With A Child
Saturday, 04/16/2016 – 08:30 am – 01:00 pm
Gibson Park
401 NW 12th St,
Miami, Florida 33136
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Cost: FREE

Annual Dr. Nelson L. Adams Walk A Mile With A Child Set for Saturday, April 16, 2016

The James Wilson Bridges Medical Society Inspires Kids And Looks To Raise Awareness About Health Disparities Impacting The South Florida Minority Community

In honor of National Minority Health Month, the National Medical Association (NMA), James Wilson Bridges, M.D. Medical Society (JWBMS), along with their title sponsor, Sunshine Health will host the annual Dr. Nelson L. Adams Walk a Mile With A Child on Saturday, April 16, 2016 from 8:30 a.m.-noon. This is the 9th annual year that the event is taking place.

Overweight and obesity rates tend to be higher among African American children compared with White children, with obesity rates increasing faster at earlier ages and with higher rates of severe obesity. Approximately 60 percent of Florida’s overweight children have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

The walk will be followed by a pop-up health and wellness fair that will be held at Gibson Park (401 NW 12th St, Miami, FL 33136). Attendees will have an opportunity to participate in the fit clinic, face painting, games, family Zumba class, as well as learn ways to improve the health and well-being for the whole family.

NMA is a 121-year-old not-for-profit organization that represents the interests of over 40,000 African American physicians and the patients they serve. The JWBMS is the local arm of the NMA dedicated to fulfilling their mission to promote optimal health for communities of color.

“The health and wellness of Florida’s children should be our primary focus. There are many chronic conditions associated with obesity that are easily preventable with a healthy lifestyle,” said Dr. Nelson L. Adams, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Sunshine Health. “I am committed to raising awareness about this growing epidemic, and I look forward to working with our partner organizations to provide health education and resources to the community.”

The Walk A Mile through Historic Overtown hopes to encourage organizations and adults to serve as community mentors by walking with the children and inspiring them to keep their minds and bodies active.

“Community service drives our company’s culture,” said Chris Paterson, CEO of Sunshine Health. “We believe it is important to positively impact the lives of our members in the communities where they live. This important initiative was introduced to us by our Board Chairman, Dr. Adams, and Sunshine Health is proud to be a sponsor each year.”

“We would like to commend Dr. Nelson L. Adams and Walk a Mile with a Child for bringing attention to the health and wellness needs of African American children residing in Historic Overtown. “ Chairman Keon Hardemon, District 5, City of Miami.

“The primary focus of the 100 Black Men of South Florida is the intellectual and physical health and welfare of our children, says Stephen Johnson, President of 100 Black Men of South Florida. “It is therefore important to us, as men in the community, to walk with Dr. Adams and our children to promote healthy living through historic Overtown. We are proud to support this event”
Sponsors and community partners include: Sunshine Health, Wellmax Max Medical Center, 100 Black Men of South Florida, Sigma Alpha chapter of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

For media inquiries and interviews, please call Yvette N. Harris at 786.897.8854.

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About JWBMS
The James Wilson Bridges, M.D. Medical Society is a group of African American physicians dedicated to strengthening black representation in the medical field and promoting optimal health to at risk communities of color. The present stage of evolution in medicine in this country and the at-risk position of minority health professionals, coupled with the increasingly obvious health care disparities, only serve to re-affirm the importance of keeping this local Society and the National Medical Association viable, strong, and status-changing forces in American medicine. For more information about JWBMS, please visit us at www.jwbms.org.

About Sunshine Health
Sunshine Health is a Medicaid managed care health plan, serving Florida members since 2009. As one of the largest medical benefit administrators offering coordinated care and a network of support, we are committed to improving the health of the community, one person at a time. Sunshine Health is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise that provides a portfolio of services to government-sponsored healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Sunshine Health offers health plan benefits to children and adults who are eligible for Florida Medicaid, those dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, and those eligible for Long Term Care as well as Florida’s Health Insurance Exchange. Additionally, Sunshine Health offers a specialty Medicaid health plan for children in Florida’s Child Welfare/Foster Care system and two full pay Healthy Kids plans statewide. For more information about Sunshine Health, please visit us at www.SunshineHealth.com.