St. John’s announces $28,000 for weight loss challenge winning teams
Jan. 9, 2006

St. John’s will announce the winners of the 2005 Weight Loss Challenge at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006 at St. John’s Hammons Heart Auditorium. The Weight Loss Challenge was designed to encourage St. John’s co-workers to make positive lifestyle changes.

Participants in the weight loss challenge contributed $25 each and agreed to develop team goals approved by a medical supervisor. These goals included lowering body fat percentage and weight. Winning was based on pounds or body fat lost, which totaled nearly two tons: 4,000 pounds.

The 23 winners come from six teams who had all members meet their goals. They will share the $28,000 pot.

About 1100 co-workers and spouses signed up last January and were monitored throughout the year, said Susan Blackard, Vice President, St. John’s Corporate Health and Wellness. The final weigh-in took place in December.

“People like to be challenged. They like to have a reason to do something. You’ve got to have a “why”. We all know how to do most things, but sometimes we’ve got to have a “why” and a little bit of encouragement and this is an incentive for our employees to encourage them to participate,” Susan said.

While helping co-worker improve their health, the program was also aimed at another goal: reducing health care cost increases.

"We are a large employer, about 16,000 covered lives in St. John’s Health System,” explains Jim Brookhart, St. John’s Vice President of Human Resources. “We are dedicated to helping our co-workers achieve healthy living.”

For more information, please contact St. John’s Media Relations at 417-820-2426.