Banner Health Starts Free Fort Collins Walks

Monthly physician-led program combines health information, exercise, and community connection

By North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com

FORT COLLINS — Banner Health has launched a Fort Collins chapter of Walk with a Doc, offering free monthly walks that let residents exercise while talking with local health care providers.

The walks are held at 9 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month at the Fort Collins Senior Center. The next walk is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3, and will focus on breast health and preventive care during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Each hour-long gathering begins with a 10- to 15-minute discussion of a health topic led by a Banner Health physician or provider. Participants then walk at their own pace and distance, with an opportunity to ask questions and connect with other community members.

The program is free, open to all ages and fitness levels, and requires no registration.

For the Oct. 3 walk, Audrey Klawiter, DO, a Banner Health family medicine physician, will discuss breast health and the role of preventive care.

Klawiter has practiced family medicine in Northern Colorado since completing her residency at Poudre Valley Hospital in 2019. She provides care for patients of all ages.

“Walking is one of the simplest things any of us can do for our health, and it’s a lot easier to keep doing it when you’re doing it together,” said Lynn Bellmore, MD, a Banner Health family medicine physician who helped launch the Fort Collins program. “We wanted to give our community a regular, low-pressure way to get moving, ask questions, and connect with health care providers outside of a clinic.”

Walk with a Doc is a national nonprofit program that combines physician-led health education with physical activity and community connection. More information about walking and the program is available at walkwithadoc.org.

Participants should meet in the west-side parking lot of the Fort Collins Senior Center, 1200 Raintree Drive.

For more information, contact Roxane Conant at [email protected] or 970-810-2680.