Michigan Medicine, in partnership with 21 other health care systems and NBC Universal, has joined a national fitness challenge to get people moving in ways that are compatible with social distancing.
#FitForTheFrontLine began May 26 and culminates June 14. Similar to a virtual 5K run, participants pledge to exercise on their own time between now and June 14. But no running or walking is required.
Mount Sinai Health System, which created the challenge, has suggested everything from hopscotch and walking around the block to climbing a staircase 10 times and working out with kids for 30 minutes, three times a week.
#FitForTheFrontLine was inspired by British war veteran Capt. Tom Moore, aka Captain Tom, who walked the length of his garden 100 times before his 100th birthday in April, raising about $40 million for Britain’s health care system in the process. In May, Queen Elizabeth II knighted Moore for his efforts.
Like Moore, #FitForTheFrontLine participants invent their own personalized fitness challenges to raise money for employees working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. People can dedicate their workouts to front-line health care workers by posting their personal challenge on social media with the hashtag #FitForTheFrontLine.
Participants are also encouraged to donate to health care workers and solicit donations from friends, family and social networks. Donations can be made through the custom-created Michigan Medicine Flowcode (QR code) or at flow.page/michiganmedicine. Donations to Michigan Medicine will support front-line workers through the COVID-19 Philanthropic Fund.
In addition to Michigan Medicine, #FitForTheFrontLine partner organizations include Mount Sinai Health System in New York, Baylor College of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Cedars-Sinai, Cleveland Clinic, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Hackensack Meridian Health, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Mayo Clinic, MedStar Health, Montefiore Einstein, NewYork-Presbyterian, Northwell Health Foundation, NYU Langone Health, Penn Medicine, RWJBarnabas Health, Temple Health, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, University of Chicago Medicine, UW Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine and Yale New Haven Health.
