AHEAD Turkey Trot Brings Fun to Thanksgiving Day

November 18, 2019 (St. Helena, Calif.)—Adventist Health St. Helena is hosting St Helena’s newest family-friendly Thanksgiving Day tradition for the second year. The free AHEAD Turkey Trot is a fun run and walk that features two distances through the quiet streets of St. Helena.

The free fun run invites people of all ages to get some exercise and enjoy time outdoors before sitting down to their Thanksgiving feast. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Carnegie Building, 1360 Oak Avenue, before taking off at 9:00 am. Participants can choose a 2.75mi run or 1.25 mile walk. Strollers and polite dogs on leashes are welcome.

AHEAD stands for Adventist Health Early All-Around Detection, a hereditary cancer screening program at Adventist Health St. Helena. Research has shown that up to 10 percent of cancers are due to factors that are passed on from one generation to the next. The AHEAD Program is reducing the risk of hereditary cancer by encouraging genetic screening.

“The Thanksgiving holiday brings generations of family together and is a wonderful time to share gratitude for the blessing of good health,” says Dr. Candace Westgate, an obstetrician and gynecologist who practices in St. Helena and founded the AHEAD Program. “It can also be a time to check in with your family about any history of cancer so you can be aware and take preventive measures to keep enjoying time together for years to come.”

Information about genetic cancer screening and family health history will be available at registration, along with Napa Valley Roasting Company coffee and Clif Bars.

“Last year’s Turkey Trot was such a great way to start the day off right with family and friends,” says Jordan Bentley, a St. Helena resident who accepted Westgate’s invitation to serve on the organizing team in 2018. “We look forward to seeing our neighbors being active and celebrating together on Thanksgiving morning again this year!”

To learn more about the free AHEAD Turkey Trot, visit adventisthealthsthelena.org/turkeytrot or call 707-967-7550.