When John Roos, chief sales and marketing officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, mentioned the idea of the Million Step March, I practically leaped across the room. I’ve wanted to walk across North Carolina since 1985 when I was the executive director of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Health. So when John suggested this initiative, for me, it was a dream come true.

John had just learned about Gary Marino – a guy that gave up on doing nothing and decided to get serious about doing something regarding his health and well-being. Gary has completed several significant walks, his first being a trek from Florida to Boston in what he proclaims was a first-time walk dedicated to raising awareness about obesity. More importantly, it was about raising hope and optimism about the possibility of truly undoing the health damage that so many of us have found ourselves in when we don’t make our personal health a priority.

Walking is a near-perfect prescription for most of us to achieve better health. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is committed to taking this walking message to all our fellow citizens. We feel the best way for us to demonstrate our commitment is to “walk the talk,” and our Million Step March launch on April 1 in Asheville will get us started. After that, it will be 60+ days, 600 miles and more than a million steps to carry us to the finish line in Wilmington.

How many of you have changed your life simply by incorporating walking into your everyday or weekly routine? I’d love to hear your stories of success and of overcoming obstacles – we’ll be sure to share ours over the next 60 days.

Posted by Kathy Higgins on March 17, 2008