Page 21 - HCPVitalityChronicles

Dr. Grant Uba’s Passion for Community Service Also Serves His Pa*ents

Although walking is simply a pleas- the challenge, it took him longer
ure in and of itself, walking for a than he an*cipated to complete the
cause gives the ac*vity even more event. “I did it more for the accom-
of a sense of purpose. Grant Uba, plishment,” said Dr. Uba, who pre-
MD, HCP Spring Street, knows this pared by doing a 24-mile run/walk
from the perspec*ve of organizing around Palos Verdes two weeks prior
a walk to raise money for the Long to the event. During the run, he sim-
Beach Boys and Girls Club, where ply told himself, “Don’t let the vans
he has served on the board for 20 pick you up.”
years. In 2011 he walked 50 miles
around the Naples Island Board On a daily basis, Vitality member Dr.
Walk as part of his own walk-a-thon Uba uses the FitBug and tries to in-
for the Boys and Girls Club. This corporate as much walking as possi-
year he upped things a notch, rally- ble into everyday life. In this way, he
ing people to donate money, *me certainly prac*ces what he preaches
and food to the cause. Many of his to his pa*ents: walk every day, no
own pa*ents walked between two ma+er how old or young you are.
and ten miles of the November 17, The benefits go beyond physical ac-
2012 event, and Dr. Uba raised *vity. He encouraged one friend,
more than $8,000 for the organiza- who is also a pa*ent, to walk, which
*on so near and dear to his heart. Dr. Grant Uba, at right, with 81-year-old Hal Winton, is helping his friend to cope with
who has participated in the 50-mile Avalon run for anxiety as well as depression from
31 years.
“I really try to inspire my pa*ents losing his wife.
to be ac*ve,” Dr. Uba, “and I thought it was beau*ful to
have so many pa*ents—some new and some who have He recalled another pa*ent with fibromyalgia who ini*ally
been with me for 20 years—suppor*ng my walk-a-thon.” could only ride her sta*onery bike for 45 seconds. Today,
One family on the walk represented four genera*ons of nine years later, she is up to 45-minute bike sessions, and
walkers—the oldest in their 80s, the youngest a toddler can walk for 30 minutes. “I tell people to just do two
about two and a half years old. blocks to start with,” Dr. Uba said. “Any amount of walking
you do is going to help you.”
This inspira*on propelled Dr. Uba to his next quest: com-
ple*ng the Avalon 50-mile run in January. He ran part of Leading by example seems natural for Dr. Uba. A father to
the journey with a 73-year-old woman who was “so fast,” two of his own children, now 20 and 17, he has taken chil-
as well as alongside an 81-year-old man who has done the dren from the Boys and Girls Club fishing. “These kids need
race for the last 31 years. “People accomplish amazing really good role models who serve as examples,” he said.
things by just trying,” Dr. Uba said. In the same way, Dr. Uba touches his pa*ents’ lives as
someone with whom they can relate because he himself
Because he tore a calf muscle in the first mile and a half of does what he encourages them to do.

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