NOVEMBER 2023 SERVICE REFLECTION: Tiger 10k Volunteer

                                                  

 November Community Service Hours: 4 hours 

     Total Fall Community Service Hours: 8 hours

                November is the month of the Turkey Trot these days, but this year, I decided to gobble up some family time on Thanksgiving and save the trotting for the tigers. In an effort to keep Louisiana active during the holiday season, Our Lady of the Lake Hospital sponsors a 10k smack dab in the middle of Thanksgiving in Christmas. Being that Louisiana also loves their Tigers, it’s hosted at tiger stadium in Baton Rouge, but people from all over South Louisiana travel to participate. Though I was on the sidelines as a volunteer, I can honestly say that being a part of a community event that promotes healthy habits in such a creative, fun way was just as fulfilling as running a 10k!

I was in charge of registering kids and their parents for the mile-long Kid’s Fun Run, and it was so heartwarming to have a- albeit, small- part in getting kids excited to move their bodies. Living a healthy lifestyle is crucial for overall well-being, and the formation of healthy habits often begins in childhood! Normalizing movement in early years can significantly impact a person's health throughout their life, and as a pharmacology student and hopeful physician, I believe that physical activity is an essential part of lifestyle medicine. As a volunteer, I was touched by the families that signed up for the race together. I know that smiling, dancing with, and helping them pose for fun pre-race photos probably isn’t what the kids will remember most about the day, but I was happy to spend a few hours with them as their hype-woman. I don’t always feel like an adult, and the event was not only a reminder that being twenty-four years old is absolutely ancient in the eyes of a child, but more importantly: children often model their behavior after adults. By adopting and demonstrating healthy habits, parents, caregivers, and even volunteers like me can positively influence the choices children make regarding their lifestyle!   

    Reflecting on the 10k experience is a perfect segue into talking about what we've been learning in school! This month, we finished our cardio block, as well as our renal/pulmonary block. The common denominator between all of these systems, though, is blood pressure--namely, hypertension. When left untreated, hypertension can have significant effects on the cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels), renal (kidneys), and pulmonary (lungs) systems. Many of the comorbidities associated with hypertension, along with the drugs to control them, are intricately related to and have interconnected effects on all three organ systems. One of the most important risk factors for hypertension is actually directly related to lifestyle choices, and because of this, the first line treatment for mild hypertension is implementing aerobic exercise and a healthy, low-sodium diet. This is why, (especially in South Louisiana where we are known for our salty, delicious food) focusing on these aspects of a healthy lifestyle from an early age, we lay the foundation for a lifetime of well-being. Children who are exposed to and encouraged to adopt healthy habits are more likely to carry these practices into adulthood, promoting longevity and a higher quality of life! All-in-all, this experience was a lovely real world application of what we've been learning in class, even though (and arguably most importantly) it was on the preventative side of things!