Dr. Asia McDonald, of Healthy Roots MD is in the news. The Post and Courier out of Charleston, SC reported that with millions of South Carolinians living with chronic illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and cancer, a local primary physician, Dr. Asia McDonald of Healthy Roots MD, is tackling the problem simply by encouraging people to walk with her. 

She does it through a localized chapter of the global organization, Walk with a Doc, a free doctor-led walking group that brings community members and volunteer health care professionals together to promote regular physical activity. 

McDonald hosted Walk with a Doc Summerville’s first event on Jan. 14 at a local park. The community turnout for the first event was pretty good considering the cold day. Six people joined her for the first event. The group will meet every month for at least 45 minutes to an hour of walking. Anyone can join.

McDonald recently opened her private practice, Healthy Roots MD, as a direct primary care provider, a membership-based primary care model that fosters a direct relationship between a patient and their doctor, servicing residents in North Charleston and surrounding areas. 

Walk with a Doc was started in 2005 by Dr. David Sabgir, a cardiologist in Columbus, Ohio. Frustrated with his inability to affect behavior change in the clinical setting, Dr. Sabgir invited his patients to go for a walk with him in a local park on a spring Saturday morning. To his surprise, over 100 people showed up, energized and ready to move. Now the organization has more than 500 chapters worldwide. Dr. Mc Donald’s is the second in the Charleston area.

Congrats to Dr. McDonald. Keep us posted on how the walks go!