Why This Chicago Cubs Super Fan Is Walking 100 Miles To Wrigley Field for Patient and Health Worker Safety

Patient Safety Movement Foundation CEO sheds light on patient and health worker safety ahead of World Patient Safety Day in September

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#PLAN4ZERO–This weekend, the Patient Safety Movement Foundation’s CEO Dr. Dave Mayer will continue the next leg of the 3,000 mile Dave’s Virtual Walk Across America for Healthcare Safety in the Midwest. Dr. Mayer is raising awareness for patient and health worker safety with this next leg of his journey, leading up to World Patient Safety Day on September 17, 2020.

The Patient Safety Movement Foundation recently unveiled its #uniteforsafecare campaign, aligning with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) theme of health worker safety, and Dr. Mayer’s walk will continue to spread awareness throughout the summer as we inch closer to September.

The Midwest portion of the walk officially kicks off on Sunday, July 5, where Dr. Mayer will begin a 100 mile trek over the course of the week, starting at Miller Park in Milwaukee and ending at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.

As an avid baseball fan, particularly for the Cubs, Dr. Mayer themed his journey around the sport—walking to baseball stadiums across the country. He recently completed 125 miles in Phoenix, where he hit all nine MLB Cactus League stadiums and Chase Field, and a 24 mile walk from Red Rocks Amphitheater to Coors Field in Denver. He plans to complete 3,000 miles over the course of his journey, essentially walking across the United States, finishing sometime in early 2021.

“The pandemic has unmasked many of the deficiencies in patient and health worker safety that many of us have known for a long time,” says Dr. Mayer. “Along my walks I’ve been joined by various individuals who care deeply about this issue, including many that have been personally affected by a preventable death in their family due to medical error. Before this pandemic began, we estimated more than 13,150 people every day were dying in hospitals around the world in ways that could have been prevented. The rise in hospitalizations due to the pandemic is only going to increase that number, for both patients and health workers. By continuing to raise awareness AND talking openly and honestly about this issue, we can unite to provide safe care for all.”

Dave’s Virtual Walk Across America for Healthcare Safety will continue during the summer; additional public walks will be announced on Twitter at @WalkForPtSafety, so be sure to follow along for updates. To show support you can donate to Dave’s Walk which supports the PSMF here: http://patient.sm/davesteam. To learn more about the Patient Safety Movement Foundation #uniteforsafecare campaign and the upcoming World Patient Safety Day on September 17, 2020, please visit uniteforsafecare.org.

About the Patient Safety Movement Foundation

Each year, more than 200,000 people die unnecessarily in U.S. hospitals. Worldwide, 4.8 million lives are similarly lost. The Patient Safety Movement Foundation (PSMF) is a global non-profit on a mission to eliminate preventable patient deaths from medical errors. PSMF uniquely brings patients and patient advocates, healthcare providers, medical technology companies, government, employers, and private payers together under the same cause. From our Actionable Patient Safety Solutions and industry Open Data Pledge to our World Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit and more, PSMF won’t stop fighting until we achieve zero.

For more information, please visit www.patientsafetymovement.org.

Contacts

Allison Guthrie | Greenbrier Partners

media@patientsafetymovement.org
818.523.8581