As 2024 quickly comes to a close, you may already be giving thought to your New Year’s resolutions and health goals for the coming year. Whether that be to run your first 5k, quit smoking, lose weight, or better manage your stress, the St. Christopher Fund has you covered! The St. Christopher Fund’s Driven to be Healthy umbrella program offers a wide assortment of health and wellness programs free to Class A CDL OTR drivers thanks to our sponsors, OOIDA, RoadPro, Southern Recipe, Grinds and Call on Doc!
Managing chronic conditions can feel like a full-time job, so if you are looking for support and accountability to reduce future health risks from conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and more, Healthy Habits for the Long-Haul is here to help you meet your goals. You’ll learn how everyday habits like food choices, hydration, and sleep can affect your long-term health while also finding ways to make meaningful changes. HH4LH is a virtual course, which allows you to participate while on the road and interact with other OTR drivers who are also actively working to improve their health.
If you are setting proactive goals for 2025 to reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes, the Diabetes Prevention Program can provide the information and support you need. Diabetes Prevention Program is a 12-week virtual course, which allows OTR drivers to listen in and participate safely while on the go. During this course, you will learn about an assortment of health and wellness topics that help to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes such as how to calculate your individual calorie needs and confidently read nutrition labels, tricks for getting better quality sleep and managing the effects of stress, how to stay hydrated and stay active while on the road, and more.
For more opportunities to meet proactive health and wellness goals, check out the Get Preventative Screenings (GPS) program, which currently provides preventative cancer screenings for prostate and colorectal cancer. These cancer screenings can be completed quickly and easily, even while away from home. Colorectal cancer screenings are recommended annually from ages 45-75. With at-home screening, you can have results within 5 minutes. Prostate cancer screenings are available for men, ages 50-69 (or 40-69 if an immediate family member has been diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 65), and are recommended every 2 years.
If you’re feeling motivated to quit smoking, vaping, or using another form of tobacco or nicotine, the Rigs without Cigs program is for you. Rigs without Cigs is a long-running, comprehensive tobacco cessation program that provides a variety of effective treatment options, ongoing support from a certified tobacco treatment specialist, and prizes as you achieve your tobacco-free milestones. You’ll have the opportunity to create a customized treatment plan based on your preferences and experiences with past quit attempts to increase your chances of success.
Finally, if your goal is to reduce the frequency or severity of viral infections, the St. Christopher Fund offers vouchers to uninsured OTR drivers for flu, pneumonia, shingles and covid vaccinations that can be used at Walgreens, Kroger and Kroger Family of Pharmacies, and The Little Clinic. Getting vaccinated is an easy way to reduce health risks going into the new year.
St. Christopher Fund’s Health & Wellness Manager, Lindsey Bryan, shares a few tips for setting yourself up for success when considering your New Year’s Resolutions: “You’re already giving your goals thought, so that is a great start – now to get really specific!” Goals that are specific and measurable are more likely to be successful, particularly if you take the time to break your goal down into bite-sized pieces. Writing down your plan somewhere visible can help you to stay focused. Don’t forget to ask for support from friends and family as needed to help create accountability!
To learn more about the Driven to be Healthy programs and how we can help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions, please visit our website at www.truckersfund.org/healthwellness or reach out to Health & Wellness Manager, Lindsey Bryan at [email protected] or 865-544-8145. From the St. Christopher Fund team, we are wishing you Happy Holidays and a safe, healthy New Year!