Distant holiday, local impact
Sunshine and the warmth of joining together for a common cause made April 22 special for a research team in the Department of Occupational Therapy and its community partners.
The occasion, which drew more than 1000 people, was the 21st Annual Día del Niño (Day of the Child) Health Walk and Family Festival held by the National Museum of Mexican Art and co-sponsored by UI Health. El Día del Niño is a national holiday in Mexico, a day when families celebrate their children.
The event was a natural fit for Healthy Families, an initiative led by OT professor and department head Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar to improve health and participation in the community for Latinos with disabilities and their families. The project works in partnership with El Valor, a social services agency in Pilsen.
Faculty, students and families involved in the Healthy Families initiative started the day with a Zumba class before joining a two-mile health walk from the museum to the UIC Pavilion.