Being in the field of medicine is not just a professional job but a mission as well. A mission to help others. Dr. Louis Martin is one of the medical learners who volunteered to be a Kids Run Club (KRC) coach at St. Catherine’s Elementary School. The club is helping school kids discover the joy of running and healthy living.
Together with Jill Lamb, a first-year Dalhousie medical student, guide students through a warm-up and then head outside for a 20-minute run. This activity is done one lunch hour a week. The activity also includes sharing of healthy living tips from their coaches during their cool-down.
According to Dr. Martin he often interacts with kids during checkups and inpatient rotations but for him, it’s a different experience to interact with them in an environment in which they are comfortable. He has been with the KRC for more than 14 years which started when he was still a student at LeMarchant-St. Thomas School in Halifax. “Being a family medicine resident and working in a field that has a strong a focus on preventative health, it’s satisfying to be able to be involved in promoting a healthy lifestyle to children early in their lives,” he shared.
The KRC is a free and school-based program makes movement fun and accessible for all kids, regardless of their skill or ability level which is participated in each year by thousands of kids and youth across Nova Scotia. The club has also a long and strong connection with Doctors Nova Scotia. The association started the program back in 2004; KRC participation has grown annually and at its peak, has reached more than 17,000 youth at 270 schools and community groups across Nova Scotia.
With the pandemic the rates in kids’ screentime soared due to lack of physical activities. KRC countered this with KRC Let’s Move, a free, bilingual program that helps get students moving with fun five-minute videos they can do in the classroom or during at-home learning.
If you want your kids to join this fun and healthy activity visit https://www.yourdoctors.ca/blog/healthy-living/krc-active
Reference and photo credits to: https://www.yourdoctors.ca/
