Healthways Employee Karla McVey Picks Up her New Bicycle!
In addition to fundraising to promote the fight against breast cancer, Hope on Wheels also has the promotion of awareness and fitness at the core of its mission. Each year when we spend a lovely day in Leipers Fork using cycling as a means to advance our cause, we are able to reach hundreds of women who may later incorporate cycling into their daily routine.
Early on, one of our committed HOW100 alumni, Liz Leedle who is a 5-year survivor, recognized Hope on Wheels as a prime outlet to promote health, fitness and a sense of community in one of the larger healthcare companies in the Nashville area, Healthways. Healthways, who embraces well-being for the community, was unaware of its number of cycling employees, both novice and distance riders. When Liz brought to light the number of avid cyclists in the company, Healthways responded in kind and added "biking" as a component of their fitness promotions and added HOW100 as a community favorite. Liz and her daughter further advanced that endorsement by recently using the Healthways company picnic as a registration drive opportunity. Liz’s strategic team was able to register more than 40 women!
What Liz couldn’t forget about was that she turned away over 60 men during that registration because it was for an all-women’s ride and they couldn't participate. With the direct personal experience of also having a brother who is a long-term breast cancer survivor, Liz encouraged HOW100 to allow men to ride in order to boost the support of the fight against breast cancer. The rest is history. As Healthways is a company dedicated to enhancing well-being, they even stepped up to reinforce the “Leedle HOW100 support” by purchasing a road bike from GranFondo that could be awarded to an employed HOW participant via drawing. Healthways is excited that both men and women have now joined the company’s fitness endeavors.
Liz is driven by not only her personal experiences but by the many family losses to cancer that she has endured over the years. Her motto: “Fitness takes you to an ageless state of mind, a new high, where there are no losers, just a way to have fun, be social, get fit, and promote living longer.” Even during cancer treatments, Liz biked, ran and weight-lifted. She tries to be an inspiration to cancer patients in the fight and has certainly showed her commitment to share her fitness philosophy by bringing Healthways on board in a big HOW100 way.
Karla McVey (pictured above) is an avid cyclist and Healthways employee. Karla was also one of the first to embrace the Healthways support of the HOW100. Her wonderful efforts were rewarded by the good fortune of being the winner of the Orbea bicycle given away by Healthways.
