Page 76 - HCPVitalityChronicles

Vitality Proponent Judy Hunter, MD, Gives Back to Community

and Helps Herself

During medical school, Judy Hunter, MD, builds their self-esteem and self-
HCP Del Amo Speciality, pledged to the worth.”
government that she would serve for one
year in an underserved area. She chose a By joining Vitality three years ago, Dr.
small, rural town in New Jersey, where she Hunter also became more motivated
actually lived for four years. “It had the to take care of her own health. She
highest high school dropout rate and the has lost 30 pounds, and because she
highest teen pregnancy rate in all of New has been hypertensive since her late
Jersey,” Dr. Hunter recalled. She looked for 20s, this greatly helps in maintaining
a program to help combat these issues, her cholesterol and blood pressure.
and found it in a non-profit organization Dr. Judy Hunter with girls from Teenshop at She jogs with her dog, goes on many
the Light the Night Walk for the Leukemia &
called Teenshop, which provides exposure Lymphoma Society. of the employer-sponsored walks, and
to positive experiences to young girls be- even participated in the Tour de Cure
tween the ages of 13 and 18. The effort was extremely suc- bike ride for the American Diabetes Association this year
cessful—all of the girls in the program finished high school with the HealthCare Partners team. She used to love bike rid-
and went on to college, and none of them became pregnant. ing when serving in rural New Jersey, so this was a chance to
get back into an activity she loves.
Fast forward to today. The Teenshop program was so suc-
cessful that Dr. Hunter wanted to bring it to California, and “I used to avoid exercise, or put it aside,” said Dr. Hunter,
she is the founder of the Los Angeles Chapter and serves as who has been with HCP since 1991. “Now, I talk about it
Regional Director. For the second year in a row, Dr. Hunter every day in my practice, and I try to encourage my fellow
has taken the girls in LA’s Teenshop with her to the Light the teammates, who see me come into the office in my exercise
Night Walk for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and their clothes.” She has participated in weight loss challenges as
completion of the walk well as Zumba classes.
in October 2014 raised $875 for the organization. This year,
one of the young girl’s fathers is a lymphoma survivor, so the As a treat to herself, once a year she goes to Canyon Ranch
walk was even more meaningful. in Tucson, Ariz. for a week of renewal and rejuvenation.
Most people start off the new year with resolutions; Dr.
Dr. Hunter, who has reached Platinum status in the Vitality Hunter goes to this spot for yoga, meditation, massage, and
program for two years in a row, loves getting her local girls healthy eating in the summer—“when we’re halfway
involved in community service. They do several walks for through the year and I need re-motivation,” she said. She
causes, including homelessness and breast cancer, and bring started the annual trek several years ago with a group of fel-
literacy into homeless shelters, have created and sent hy- low physicians—Divas of the Desert, she calls them—and
giene kits to Haiti, and read to children in underprivileged now has encouraged her youngest daughter, 17 and an avid
areas. “Watching these young girls grow into marvelous dancer, to join her.
young women and motivating them to do things they might
not have thought possible is the best reward,” Dr. Hunter Health is a lifelong journey and Dr. Hunter is enjoying every
said. “They become involved in philanthropy, which in turn step of the way.
All information in the Vitality program is HIPAA protected. Members have chosen to share their personal health accomplishments.
For more information about Vitality, visit www.powerofvitality.com. Contact Janet Galli for further program information.