Healthy Kids Running Series Kicks Off April 27
Courtney Carter
/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2024

Healthy Kids Running Series Kicks Off April 27

A Bennington chapter of Healthy Kids Running Series, a national, community-based nonprofit that provides fun running and competition opportunities for kids, is slated to kick off on April 27th at 2 p.m. at Mount Anthony Union High School.

According to Joel Stark, the program’s community coordinator, Healthy Kids is designed for children ages 2 to 14 and “aims to inspire children to be active and healthy while creating meaningful relationships within our community.”

Held over a series of five weeks, the series involves once-a-week races on Sundays. Participants are grouped with age peers and challenged to run age-appropriate race distances. Runners compete each week for a chance to earn points. At the end of the Series the boys and girls who accumulate the most points in their respective distances are awarded trophies, while all participants receive a medal on Week 5. 

The local program co-coordinator Laura Stark notes, “The program provides a safe, family atmosphere and welcomes children of all abilities. It’s a great way to build their self-esteem while helping them discover the joy and sense of accomplishment that can come from being active and pushing yourself.”

The first weekly session of Healthy Kids will be Sunday, April 27 at 2 p.m. at Mount Anthony Union High School at 130 Park Street, Bennington.

Early bird registration for the Healthy Kids Running Series is live at this link. All registrations received before April 6 will be discounted to $48.70 (including fees); registrations received after April 6 will be $54.00 (including fees).

To learn more, click here.

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Introducing Dr. Amy Freeth

Amy E. Freeth, MD, resumed endocrinology services at SVMC in March 2020. The practice, known as SVMC Endocrinology, is a part of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) and Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC). It replaces the Bennington Osteoporosis Center, where Dr. David Gorson had provided similar services to the community until his retirement in 2019.

How do you describe endocrinology to people who don’t know what it is? The endocrine system is made up of glands that make hormones. These hormones are chemical messengers that travel via the bloodstream to communicate with the cells and organs of the body. Hormones are important for growth, development, mood, metabolism, and reproduction. These glands include the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, pancreas, adrenal, testes, and ovaries.

Endocrinology is a practice of medicine that specializes in disorders of these systems. Disorders most commonly are related to underactive or overactive function of these glands and require replacement of the hormone or specific treatments such as medications, ablation, or surgery.

Since hormones function in feedback loops and are part of a larger complex functional system that exists in flow with the human body, replacement hormones or treatment of endocrine disorders can be challenging and involve changes to our lifestyles that support the optimal functioning of the body.

What diagnoses are most common among the patients you treat?  Pituitary tumors, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer, hyperparathyroidism, osteoporosis, diabetes, adrenal insufficiency, Cushing’s disease, primary hyperaldosteronism, pheochromocytoma, obesity, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

What sorts of treatments do you offer? I offer comprehensive consultation and management of endocrine disorders. I also interpret testing and make treatment plans for endocrine disorders. I also provide interpretation of bone density reports and perform fine needle aspiration biopsies in collaboration with Radiology Associates of Bennington. Technology is increasingly becoming more important in the management of diabetes. Technology includes glucose meters, insulin pumps, and continuous glucose monitoring (sensors). I work with certified diabetes educators to create a team approach to diabetes management. As we develop this new department, we are looking for innovative ways to help people regain and optimize their health. I have training in nutrition counseling and health coaching to help people find their path to good health.

Why is it important for patients who need an endocrinologist see them regularly? Your endocrinologist is part of your health team and has experience and a deep understanding of what is happening within your body to help assess, guide, and co-manage your disorder. There is testing that may need to be done to make sure you are living with optimal hormonal balance. Allowing hormones to run too low or too high can have lasting adverse effects on the body leading to other disease or imbalances.

How do you help protect patients who need to come into the office from infections, like COVID-19? At this time, I am seeing patients via telemedicine and phone visits. This week we are starting to see a portion of our patients in the clinic. Patients can register on the phone and wait in their car until the room is ready. Patients will be screened for fever and should wear a mask. Staff will wear proper protective equipment and follow guidelines for handwashing and cleaning of the rooms.

Since many patients who will likely want to come to the endocrinology clinic will be members of high-risk populations (diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and the elderly), patients will have a choice of the type of visit they have.

Dr. Freeth sees patients 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday - Thursday in Suite 307 of the Medical Office Building located at 140 Hospital Drive in Bennington. For an appointment, call 802-447-4555. The schedule will expand to additional days as needed.

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