The St. Christopher Fund has big news! We’re excited to work with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) and join the Healthy People 2030 Champion Program. As a Healthy People 2030 Champion, the St. Christopher Fund has demonstrated a commitment to helping achieve the Healthy People 2030 vision of society in which all people can achieve their full potential for health and well-being across the lifespan. ODPHP recognizes the St. Christopher Fund, along with other Healthy People 2030 Champions, as part of a growing network of organizations partnering with ODPHP to improve health and well-being at the local, state, and tribal level.
Healthy People 2030 Champions are organizations that support the Healthy People 2030 vision. Over the last 16 years, the St. Christopher Fund (SCF) has developed a wide assortment of health and wellness programs under the Driven to be Healthy umbrella. These programs support key health indicators as outlined by Healthy People 2030, with the ultimate shared goal to increase employment in the working-age population by reducing health conditions that frequently take drivers out of the work force. Reducing chronic health conditions allows for happier, healthier employees and more successful businesses. Some of the many key health indicators that the SCF is working towards include: increasing the number of adults who receive a colorectal cancer screening, increasing the number of adults with hypertension whose blood pressure is under control, reducing the number of diabetes cases diagnosed annually, reducing cigarette smoking, increasing the number of adults who meet the current minimum guidelines for aerobic physical activity and muscle-strengthening activity, and increasing the number of persons who are vaccinated annually against seasonal flu.
The SCF’s Driven to be Healthy program includes 5 key health and wellness programs including Rigs without Cigs, Healthy Habits for the Long-Haul, Diabetes Prevention, Get Preventative Screenings (GPS), and Vaccine Vouchers. All Driven to be Healthy programs are free to Class A OTR semi-truck drivers thanks to sponsors like OOIDA, Southern Recipe, RoadPro, Call on Doc, and Grinds Coffee Pouches. Free programs like the ones offered by the SCF are tailored to OTR drivers to ensure common barriers such as cost, lack of health insurance, and inconvenience are eliminated. Not only are the programs offered through remote platforms and free to drivers, they are offered at absolutely no cost to employers as well.
The first of the Driven to be Healthy programs is the Vaccine Voucher program, which offers free vaccine vouchers for flu, shingles, and pneumonia vaccinations and can be used at Walgreens, The Little Clinic, Kroger, and the Kroger Family of Pharmacies. With the challenges of an OTR driving career come challenges with obtaining annual vaccinations, particularly for drivers who do not have health insurance. The SCF is helping to reduce these barriers by eliminating cost and improving the convenience for drivers by providing multiple locations nationwide.
Rigs without Cigs is another long-running Driven to be Healthy program which focuses on tobacco cessation. The SCF works with participants to build an effective, personalized treatment plan, ongoing support from an MD Anderson Center certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist, and prizes through RoadPro for achieving tobacco-free milestones. Since 2017, the St. Christopher Fund has supported 225 drivers in quitting and another 146 drivers in cutting their tobacco use by 50% or more.
The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is a 12-week virtual program focused on reducing the risk of diabetes through nutrition, activity, and habit changes. DPP is run by a certified Lifestyle Coach who provides information and resources tailored to the unique challenges that OTR drivers face. By taking a proactive approach to managing the factors that can lead to diabetes, the SCF aims to prevent or delay the diagnosis of diabetes and reduce associated health risks long-term.
Similarly, Healthy Habits for the Long-Haul is a 12-week virtual program focused on reducing and preventing chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and more. Topics include how to read nutrition labels, exercise, sleep, stress management, and more. Participants work with a certified lifestyle coach to better understand their nutritional needs, set short- and long-term health goals, and benefit from an additional accountability partner for support. Data provided by Healthy People 2030 highlights the importance of managing chronic conditions like high blood pressure to prevent further health conditions such as chronic kidney disease, heart attack, and stroke. To keep OTR drivers functioning at their best and safely on the road, being proactive in addressing chronic health conditions can make all the difference.
Get Preventative Screenings (GPS) is the newest program to join the Driven to be Healthy lineup, providing free prostate and colorectal screening kits that can be performed by the driver in the comfort of their own home or while on the road. In parallel with Healthy People 2030’s key health indicator to increase the number of adults who have received a colorectal screening, the SCF is working to increase accessibility of colorectal cancer screenings by providing a fast, convenient, and accurate testing method at no cost to the driver.
The only way to achieve Healthy People 2030’s and the St. Christopher Fund’s objectives is to work together! To learn more about any of our Driven to Be Healthy programs or to get started, you can visit our website at truckersfund.org/healthwellness or reach out to our Health & Wellness Manager, Lindsey Bryan, at health@truckersfund.org. We look forward to hearing from you!