Health & Wellbeing It’s often been said that exercise ‘clears

part of Polly’s life. “My dad was a keen 
walker, so even as young as six, we would go 
walking up to 15-20 miles a day,” she recalls. 
But, it wasn’t until adulthood that this simple 
activity allowed Polly to enjoy some once-in-
a-lifetime experiences.
“My sister and I travelled Southeast 
Asia for 18 months and did a lot of trekking. 
We partially completed the Annapurna trek 
covering 120 miles. We also did a walking 
tour at Chitwan National Park, Nepal, where 
we encountered alligators, a sloth bear and a 
mother and a baby rhino near us in the long 
grass. We had to run zig-zag and hide,”
she shares.
On another trek, Polly walked 
the flatlands of Venezuela where she 
experienced cattle farming, caught piranha 
fish for dinner and saw pink dolphins. She’s 
also walked trails in New Zealand, the Grand 
Canyon and the Amazon.
As a bronchiectasis sufferer, completing 
these treks has been no mean feat for Polly. 
“50 percent of my lungs are scarred and 
my oxygen saturation levels are below 
average, but walking keeps my heart in great 
condition. Plus, I love walking and I have had 
so many unforgettable experiences on foot.”
ahead, not at each other, and it’s easy to stop 
talking and walk quietly for a while if needed. 
You can ponder on things, then start the 
conversation again.”
Megan likes to pack a picnic for family 
walks too. “It gives a feeling of arrival, and 
we usually look for a good spot on the map 
where we can stop and eat before heading 
out. With lockdowns and now the continued 
working from home situation, walking has 
been a crucial way for us to take a break, get 
some fresh air, mull things over and just get 
out of the house. 
“Lockdown was challenging with our 
son who is autistic and really didn’t cope 
well. We finally had a breakthrough when we 
went to the Lake District. We’d booked into 
a place with no internet, telly or phone signal 
and I was quite nervous as to how it was 
going to work. But when he got out
to walk, he started talking and relaxed. It
was amazing.
“When I’m out on my own, walking gives 
me head space and when I’m out with the 
kids it gives us an opportunity to chat without 
distractions like homework, telly and phones. 
It also allows quiet companionship along 
with friendly banter and debate.” H W
“WALKS LET US 
RECONNECT AS A FAMILY”
“I’VE WALKED ALL
OVER THE WORLD”
“WALKING
HELPS ME
MANAGE MY
ARTHRITIS”
Managing inflammatory disease can 
make high-impact exercise tricky for 
Jen Parker (above), but walking helps 
mind her physical and mental health.
“Before my diagnosis with 
ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis 
and fibromyalgia, I loved running, 
but my joint problems made it an 
absolute no-no, so I needed to find an 
alternative,” Jen explains. “I tried a few 
different forms of low impact exercise, 
but they all came with their drawbacks. 
Swimming left me with endless illnesses 
thanks to my immunosuppressant 
medication, while yoga and Pilates made 
me self-conscious because the teacher 
would have to modify the moves for 
me. Then, I started walking and found 
I really enjoyed getting out in the fresh 
air. I loved it so much that I even did a 
walking challenge in 2011, walking 16 
miles in the Derbyshire Dales with a team 
of family and colleagues to raise money 
for Arthritis Research UK.”
Getting a dog, a pug-shih-tzu 
cross named Doug, has helped Jen stay 
consistent. “No matter how I’m feeling, 
I walk him when I get up. This relieves 
the pain and stiffness I feel every morning 
by getting me moving and loosened up 
much quicker. Walking has improved 
so many different aspects of my life. The 
biggest by far is feeling more in control 
of my health. Even if my pain levels are 
sky-high, I know I’ll feel better once I’ve 
been out, even if it’s just for 20 minutes. 
The inflammation I experience causes a 
lot of pain so it’s tempting to just veg out 
on the couch, but walking has kept me 
mobile, helped me retain flexibility, and 
kept my mental health in a better place.”
M OV E W E L L
I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H
9c236b28-87c3-40e9-b0fe-88f40b5739e9
9c236b28-87c3-40e9-b0fe-88f40b5739e9