On the European Car-Free Day , celebrated on September 22 in Póvoa de Varzim , Hospital da Luz teams were at Alto Martim Vaz, near the beach, where they offered healthcare services and free screenings to the population and, in particular, to the participants in the walking and cycling events organized by the municipality. Integrated in the scope of the European Mobility Week , the initiative intended to raise awareness of the population to the need of reducing traffic in the city and opt for less polluting alternatives – walking, using bikes and public transports – in order to enhance the quality of life and guarantee natural resources sustainability. Hundreds of people accepted the challenge launched by the city council and participated in the 6 km-walking to the city park or in the cycling event along a 12 km-trail. The nursing and physiotherapeutic team from Hospital da Luz Póvoa de Varzim performed 360 free screenings, including the measurement of indicators such as glycemia, blood pressure, heart rate and body mass index. At the end of the walking and cycling events, there was a prize draw among all participants. The councillors for Environment and Mobility, Sílvia Costa and Luís Ramos, respectively, took the opportunity to stress the message of the day to the population: it is necessary to change behaviour and adopt more sustainable lifestyles. Hospital da Luz Póvoa de Varzim supports this kind of initiatives aiming a more sustainable city and healthier citizens.
