Taking care of your health is essential to looking, feeling and doing better, and the Tom Joyner Morning Show is kicking off its annual “Take a Loved One to the Doctor” season to help you get on the good foot.
“Take a Loved One to the Doctor,” an effort between Joyner and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Administration launched in 2002, aims to raise health and wellness awareness in the black community.
“One of the biggest roles of the TJMS is to empower our audience by directing them toward areas that make a positive difference,” Joyner said in a statement launching this year’s campaign. “Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day has been a call to action that has led to early detection of diseases and conditions that have saved lives and led people to change the way they live. It’s gone from one day to an entire season, giving us more time and momentum to get the message out and help more people get proactive about their health.”
The season, which will culminate in the annual “Take a LOved One to the Doctor Day on Sept. 30, will features interviews with doctors and wellness specialists on “The Tom Joyner Morning Show,” informative articles and links to information on BlackAmericaWeb.com and live reports and appearances at Doctor Day activities around the country, including health fairs featuring members of the morning show crew.
The campaign is designed to:
• Reduce the health disparity between black America and the general population.
• Improve access to culturally relevant health care information.
• Better educate members of the African-American community regarding the benefits of prevention and treatment of serious diseases.
• Create accountability overall that engages listeners to take a more active role in encouraging loved ones to seek health care.
“At the end of the day, nothing we try to accomplish through politics, entertainment, education or anything else matters more than us becoming healthier as a community,” Joyner said.
“Take A Loved One to the Doctor season is a consistent reminder for us to make being in good health a priority,” he said. “At the end of the day, people are much more likely to go vote, attend PTA meetings and just get out and do more in the community when they’re feeling good.”
