Home   About Us   Divisions   Ask a Med-U-Nurse   Health Library   Find a Doctor   For Physicians   Job Opportunities   Make a Difference   News & Events    News Room    Kids Connection Newsletter    Support Groups    Special Events    Parenting Newsletter    Parenting Classes    Community Classes    Grand Rounds Schedule   Research   Residents & Fellows   Your Hospital Visit 171 Ashley Ave. Charleston, SC 29425 843-792-1414		Print Version April 2008 See You on the Bridge! The obesity crisis is a very real threat to our health - and to the lives of our children. Children today are likely to have a shorter lifespan with a third of them getting diabetes during their lifetime. Shifting the balance toward health is incredibly important and includes two very basic and achievable things: eating fewer calories and exercising more. The Lean Team is a partnership between MUSC's Adolescent Medicine Department and Charleston County Schools. Our goal is the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity through individual, family, and community change. The Lean Team began walking the bridge on November 17, 2007 and consisted of a dietitian, two medical students, and a doctor. During the last several months, The Lean Team has grown to include about 100 people who have walked a combined total of 2,147 miles. Go team! Building the Arthur Ravenel Bridge over the Cooper River was a complex and challenging task. It opened July 16, 2005 and replaced the John P. Grace Memorial Bridge (1929) and the Silas N. Pearman Bridge (1966) connecting Charleston to Mount Pleasant. It is the largest cable stay bridge in North America and offers a spectacular view of the Charleston Harbor. Costing $700 million, the bridge consists of two diamond shaped towers supporting 8 lanes of traffic and a 12 foot bike/pedestrian path. The span between the towers is 1,546 feet while the total length of the bridge is 13,200 feet. It is designed to withstand wind gusts of 300 mph and an earthquake force of 7.4 on the Richter scale. The bridge will serve our community for many years to come. Similar to building the bridge, building healthy children requires vision and commitment from individuals, families, schools, and the community. As adults, it is important to set the example for our kids. One person in particular who has done just that is Virginia Huff. In November, at the age of 81, Virginia decided she didn't want to be a "couch potato". She began walking the bridge with the help of her walker. Although it's difficult at times for Virginia to simply walk from her house to the foot of the bridge, she finds plenty of encouragement to keep her going on the approximate three mile walk. Today, Virginia walks the bridge about three times a week and even decorates her walker for every holiday! She has lost about 30 pounds and plans to keep on walking in order to reach her goal of shedding 100 pounds. Change truly is one step at a time and Virginia is Huff is more than just an example of that... she's an inspiration to us all. Read more information about The Lean Team.
	Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Site Map | Contact Us