News & Events

Surgeon General and School of Medicine Faculty Lead "Exercise Is Medicine" Walk

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Pamela Peeke, MD, clinical assistant professor, and Yvette Rooks, MD, assistant professor, both from the Department of Family & Community Medicine, joined Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, MD, MBA, at the “Exercise Is Medicine” community walk on June 2, 2010. The walk was part of the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual meeting, which was held at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Dr. Benjamin – in full uniform in spite of the heat – along with Drs. Peeke and Rooks, Olympic runner Jim Ryan, Maryland Secretary of Health & Mental Hygiene John Colmers, and other meeting participants, walked with members of the community from the convention center to the Inner Harbor, where Dr. Benjamin stopped to sign an oversized “prescription for exercise” before leading the group back, chanting cheers for exercise to the tourists watching the procession.

“I hope you will encourage your friends to join this walk and keep it going,” said Dr. Benjamin, who plans to lead similar walks around the country to encourage exercise for all. “You can make a difference.”

“We are writing something truly historic today,” said Dr. Peeke during the stop at the Harbor. “It’s an exercise prescription for all of America – refills unlimited! So get out there and stay as active as possible, eat fruits and vegetables daily, get the whole family involved, and most importantly, be creative and have some fun!”