EPISODE 72: Start a 'Be Bone Strong' Walking Club
On this inspiring episode of Bone Talk, BHOF CEO Claire Gill welcomes author, advocate and former BHOF trustee Barbara Hannah Grufferman to share how walking can help transform bone health, boost connections, and reshape how we age.
Barbara, who has completed 17 marathons after age 50, shares her personal journey with low bone density, the wake-up call that started it all, and how it led her to become a passionate advocate for movement, aging well, and building community.
Barbara now serves as Special Advisor to the Board of the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation and as Team Captain of the Be Bone Strong™ initiative where she’s leading the charge to bring walking clubs to communities across the country. She aims to make fitness fun, inclusive, and doable for anyone ready to take that first step!
Key Takeaways:
Movement is medicine. Walking is one of the most accessible, low-cost, weight-bearing activities you can do to maintain bone density and overall health.
Walking clubs model foster community and connection. What started as a local stroll in Virginia Beach is evolving into a nationwide initiative to help people walk together, stay accountable, and feel less isolated.
No walker left behind. The Be Bone Strong Walking Clubs encourage inclusivity, different pace groups, and support for people at all levels of mobility.
You don’t need to be a fitness expert. All it takes is a date, a route, and the willingness to invite people. We’ll help you get started and share inspiration from Barbara’s walking club to show what’s possible.
The impact goes beyond fitness. These clubs are building friendships, combatting loneliness, and shifting the narrative around aging from decline to empowerment.
Walking is a simple yet powerful way to support bone health, foster real-life connection and redefine what healthy aging looks like. With the Be Bone Strong Walking Clubs the GHOF are making it easy for anyone to take that first step together.
