Walking to fight infant mortality

Infant mortality is a complex issue – this we know. We also know that infant mortality cannot be eliminated through medical interventions alone. Our health, and the health of moms and babies, is affected by our community – where we live, work and play. It’s these communities that can help reinforce healthy behaviors outside the doctor’s office while breaking down barriers to living healthy.The Center for Closing the Health Gap is working with two such neighborhoods – Mt. Auburn and Walnut Hills – to create sustainable change in support of moms and babies. How are they doing this? By having the communities themselves take the lead. Community members know the ins and outs of their neighborhood, and they can quickly and easily identify barriers to and solutions for better health.Early on, Mt. Auburn and Walnut Hills identified awareness as their first step in addressing infant mortality and are hosting an awareness walk September 12. After seeing similar walks locally, they knew their goal: to show Cincinnati that Mt. Auburn and Walnut Hills are ready to build cultures of health, and that they are determined to ensure that every baby in their respective neighborhood reaches his or her first birthday.We’d like to invite you to join the Center for Closing the Health Gap, the neighborhoods of Mt. Auburn and Walnut Hills, and us on Saturday, September 12 as we walk to fight infant mortality. Registration begins at 8am, with the walk starting at 9am. We will begin our walk through the Mt. Auburn community, starting at Taft Elementary School (270 Southern Avenue 45219).   For more information visit www.closingthehealthgap.org or call (513) 585-9879. Healthy Communities = Healthy Babies!