Activity

Forces at Play: Exploring the intuitive design of the upcoming BlueCross Healthy Place at David Carnes Park in Memphis

Could the path to happiness start at your local park? It sounds too good to be true, but research increasingly shows it’s a real possibility. A recent study of well-being in 44 major cities across the U.S. found that park coverage was among the best predictors of residents’ health and happiness. The BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation is investing in Memphis parks through its first BlueCross Healthy Place project, the revitalization of David Carnes Park in the city’s Whitehaven neighborhood. “Concentrating our giving on BlueCross Healthy Places will allow us to have a bigger impact within our communities, reaching both urban and rural areas across the state,” said Scott Wilson, BlueCross director of community relations and health foundation. “We’re […]
Good Sports: BlueCross volunteers and Nashville Predators partner to connect with kids in the community

Who do you admire most? Ask a kid that question and you’ll get lots of answers, but research shows there are a few that consistently top the list: Parents Athletes Teachers While 92% of kids say their parents are their biggest role models, 73% say they “look up to or want to be like” professional or Olympic athletes. Teachers are on par at 72%. So how can communities use that power for good? In Nashville, the Preds hockey players host an annual community day as well as Preds Prospect days in June. In partnership with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, 36 rookie Nashville Predators went to 9 locations across Nashville to interact with kids and do some good in their new […]
Walking in Memphis: How the built environment affects health: Q&A with Church Health’s Jenny Bartlett-Prescott

“Just start walking.” When doctors encourage people to start exercising, walking is often step one. It’s an activity most people can do, it’s easy and it’s free — but it’s not always that simple. “You can’t tell someone to go and walk their neighborhood if there’s no sidewalk, or to walk around the park if there’s no park,” says Jenny Bartlett-Prescott, senior director of integrated health programs for Church Health in Memphis. As a nonprofit providing services to those with little or no access to health care, Church Health sees firsthand how the environment matters. The built environment includes all of the physical parts of where we live and work: homes, buildings, streets, open spaces. According to the CDC, the […]
Pedal Power

In 2010, Bicycling magazine ranked Memphis as one of the least bike-friendly cities in the country. The city decided to change that, adding bike lanes any time a road needed repaving and installing greenways that encouraged cycling. The transformation effort worked. “Now, Memphis is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country,” says Trey Moore, executive director of the recently launched Explore Bike Share program. “But there is still an opportunity for greater adoption and to get people comfortable in using bikes for transportation or recreation.” The first step: get bikes to people. Explore Bike Share installed stations throughout the city, stocked with bicycles available to rent as needed. People can choose to take a bike out for a […]

Pedal Power: A bike share program in Memphis does more for riders than improve their health

In 2010, Bicycling magazine ranked Memphis as one of the least bike-friendly cities in the country. The city decided to change that, adding bike lanes any time a road needed repaving and installing greenways that encouraged cycling. The transformation effort worked. “Now, Memphis is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country,” says Trey Moore, executive director of the recently launched Explore Bike Share program. “But there is still an opportunity for greater adoption and to get people comfortable in using bikes for transportation or recreation.” The first step: get bikes to people. Explore Bike Share installed stations throughout the city, stocked with bicycles available to rent as needed. People can choose to take a bike out for a […]
Obesity Quiz

Tennessee’s children are now the heaviest in the nation, and adults don’t fare much better, ranking sixth. As we know, obesity is a serious health problem and can lead to diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. See how much you know about obesity in Tennessee, and scroll down to read about efforts to change it. Take the Quiz Stories about fitness & obesity awareness in Tennessee

Obesity Quiz: Test your knowledge and learn what Tennesseans are doing to stop the epidemic

Tennessee’s children are now the heaviest in the nation, and adults don’t fare much better, ranking sixth. As we know, obesity is a serious health problem and can lead to diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. See how much you know about obesity in Tennessee, and scroll down to read about efforts to change it. Take the Quiz Stories about fitness & obesity awareness in Tennessee
Knoxville & Knox County Health Brief

Updated January 15, 2018 County health briefs offer comprehensive information about Tennessee cities and their surrounding areas. Each county health brief is different and focuses on that county’s biggest health challenges as identified by county and city health departments. Due to the highly customized nature of this information, statistics and metrics will vary from brief to brief. The Knox County health brief focuses on the top health priorities as identified by local experts, including representatives from the Knox County Health Department. Scroll down to read about health in Knox County, view sources or jump to a specific section: Demographics Causes of death Disease Social determinants Health disparities Solutions What are the demographics of Knox County? Population 448,164 Income The median […]

Knoxville & Knox County Health Brief

Updated January 15, 2018 County health briefs offer comprehensive information about Tennessee cities and their surrounding areas. Each county health brief is different and focuses on that county’s biggest health challenges as identified by county and city health departments. Due to the highly customized nature of this information, statistics and metrics will vary from brief to brief. The Knox County health brief focuses on the top health priorities as identified by local experts, including representatives from the Knox County Health Department. Scroll down to read about health in Knox County, view sources or jump to a specific section: Demographics Causes of death Disease Social determinants Health disparities Solutions What are the demographics of Knox County? Population 448,164 Income The median […]
Fun and Games

Meet the 2018 Tennessee Senior Olympics Hall of Fame inductees.

Fun and Games: Tennessee Senior Olympics Hall of Fame inducts 4 new members

Meet the 2018 Tennessee Senior Olympics Hall of Fame inductees.
Nashville & Davidson County Health Brief

County health briefs offer comprehensive information about Tennessee cities and their surrounding areas. The Nashville and Davidson County health brief focuses on the top health priorities as identified by local experts.

Nashville & Davidson County Health Brief

County health briefs offer comprehensive information about Tennessee cities and their surrounding areas. The Nashville and Davidson County health brief focuses on the top health priorities as identified by local experts.
Creating a BlueCross Healthy Place in Memphis

Access to an area where people of all ages can gather together, enjoy the outdoors and exercise leads to improved physical and mental health. But before any of that can happen, you have to get people there.

Creating a BlueCross Healthy Place in Memphis: $5.4 million investment will provide a community with a revitalized place to get active

Access to an area where people of all ages can gather together, enjoy the outdoors and exercise leads to improved physical and mental health. But before any of that can happen, you have to get people there.
Reflections of Whitehaven

When Phil Sinclair walks through David Carnes Park in the Whitehaven neighborhood in Memphis, memories come rushing back. Residents have been coming to watch their children play on the playground there for years, but for Sinclair, this place is far more personal: David Carnes was his grandfather.

Reflections of Whitehaven: Honoring the history of a neighborhood park and the man it is named for

When Phil Sinclair walks through David Carnes Park in the Whitehaven neighborhood in Memphis, memories come rushing back. Residents have been coming to watch their children play on the playground there for years, but for Sinclair, this place is far more personal: David Carnes was his grandfather.