Wellness is not a destination. It is a pathway, and none of us has to walk it alone.
The newest edition of HealthBeat Magazine from Smith County Memorial Hospital explores what it means to pursue health through every season of life, from a newborn’s first safe night of sleep to the choices that help us remain active, connected and independent as we grow older.
Our Pathway to Wellness Edition reflects a simple belief at the heart of our mission: health care reaches far beyond the walls of an exam room. It can look like a walking path open to everyone, an honest conversation between a parent and child, a nourishing meal, a relationship with a trusted provider, or a community that gives people good reasons to call this place home.
Inside this edition
We begin outside on the Pathway to Wellness, our free, fully accessible three-quarter-mile loop on the SCMH campus. Built in response to needs identified by our community, the Pathway joins the Fitness Court and other wellness resources in creating a place where people of different ages, abilities and fitness levels can begin one step at a time.
From there, the journey follows life itself.
“The Bare Crib” shares the ABCs of Safe Sleep and the work of SCMH nurses Whitney Winder and Laura Kingsbury to help families create safer sleep environments for infants.
In “A Safe Place,” Dr. Leah Wiehl writes as both a family physician and a mother about the conversations parents need to have with their children about mental health, substance use and suicide. Her message is powerful: our kids do not need perfect words from us. They need adults willing to notice, ask, listen and keep the door open.
“Take the Wheel: Your Health, Your Hands” explores another transition that can happen at 18, 50 or anywhere in between: learning to become an active steward of your own health. Knowing your history, understanding your normal, establishing a relationship with a provider and using tools such as the patient portal can help you take greater ownership of your care.
Then we meet Brooke Goos and Hallie Theobald, PA-C, in “To SunPorch and Back,” a story about weight, health and what can happen when we stop believing we have to make difficult changes alone. It is a story not about perfection, but about partnership, sustainable choices and progress that can begin with something as simple as a walk.
Food also has an important place on the Pathway. Executive Chef Steve Smith, RD, takes readers into the Hometown Café to explore how flavorful, well-crafted food can start conversations about health. Emily Campbell continues that conversation by bringing Food Is Medicine into everyday life through nutritious food that people can realistically find, afford, prepare and enjoy.
And our pathway stretches beyond individual health. “Stronger Communities, Healthier Futures” considers how connection, belonging and community pride influence rural wellbeing and the future of rural health care. Strong communities help sustain the workforce, relationships and resources that keep quality care close to home.
The Pathway to Wellness is more than a program: “It’s a life.” And at every stage, SCMH works to ensure the care you need is here.
We invite you to settle in, turn the pages and discover something that encourages you to take your own next step.
Read the digital edition of HealthBeat Magazine: Pathway to Wellness at this link.
Because wherever you are on the pathway, you don’t have to walk it alone.