Community invited to TidalHealth Wellness Walk and 5K

What started out as an initiative to celebrate TidalHealth Medical Weight Loss & Bariatric Nutrition patients has grown into a walk and run that the whole community is invited to participate in.  

The TidalHealth Wellness Walk and 5K is set for Saturday, Sept. 26, at Hooper’s Landing in Seaford. The walk begins at 9 am, with check-in at 8 am. Participants should register by Aug. 20 to guarantee a T-shirt in their selected size.  

People can walk or run the course, which takes participants around the Hooper’s Landing golf course twice.  

“Even though the goal was to get our patients excited about participating and have the TidalHealth team members there also walking together to celebrate, this year we are encouraging the community to participate and come to walk or run,” said Sandra Palavecino, MD, who cares for patients at TidalHealth Medical Weight Loss & Bariatric Nutrition in Seaford.  

The event is hosted by the TidalHealth Medical Weight Loss & Bariatric Nutrition team, in collaboration with the TidalHealth Employee Wellness Committee. 

Why walk?  

Dr. Palavecino said many of her patients began walking or increasing their steps while on their health journeys, so this event allowed them to come together to walk, encourage each other and have an event on the calendar to look forward to.  

Walking is a lower-impact and low-cost activity with many health benefits, including improving circulation and heart health, mental health and metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes, Dr. Palavecino said. Patients can start with improving their walk, then later build intensity and time.  

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, which can include brisk walking, along with two days of muscle-strengthening activity weekly. 

Less than half of U.S. adults met the aerobic physical activity guidelines in 2024 (47.2%), and just over a quarter are considered inactive (26.2%), according to the CDC.    

A welcoming event 

The TidalHealth Wellness Walk and 5K is welcoming to participants no matter where they are on their fitness journey.   

“With this event, we are encouraging people to participate to trust the stage of their journey they are already on; they may train to walk half the course, or complete the full course or run if they are training for that,” Dr. Palavecino said, noting she’s proud of all participants.  

In addition to a flat, paved course, there will be water stations and encouragement.  

“It is a really impactful and fun day for everyone who participates,” Dr. Palavecino said. 

This year’s beneficiary 

This year’s event will benefit TidalHealth’s Sheila Zimmer Breast Screenings Fund. This fund provides financial assistance for breast screenings and support services through diagnosis, helping ensure access to timely care for those in need.  

To register, visit www.tidalhealth.org/wellnesswalk. Participants who register by Aug. 20 will be guaranteed a T-shirt in their selected size. Registration fees increase beginning Aug. 21.