🚴♂️ Finding Clarity on Two Wheels: Why “Exercise is Medicine” is the Ultimate Anchor for Global Health
There is nothing quite like a weekend bike ride to bring everything back into sharp focus.
Out on the road today, with the fresh air clearing away the noise of the week, I found myself reflecting deeply on the true anchor of our movement. In the fast-paced world of international health policy, structural frameworks, and systems design, it is incredibly easy to get caught up in the administrative complexity.
But moments like this remind me of the foundational truth behind everything we build at the World Health Innovation Summit (WHIS) and the Global Social Prescribing Alliance (GSPA): Movement is medicine. Nature is medicine. Community is medicine.
Staying True to Our Values Across a Decade
This week has been entirely about finding clarity and grounding myself in the core values that started this journey over 10 years ago. When I founded WHIS and subsequently co-founded the GSPA alliance, our mission was simple: to shift global healthcare away from reactive “sick-care” and empower people to take control of their own health and wellbeing.
True innovation requires absolute integrity. It demands that we stay fiercely aligned with our values, protect the foundations of collaborative trust, and keep our focus entirely on what matters most—delivering real, place-based health solutions that protect both people and planet.
When you stay true to your values, the path forward becomes incredibly clear and completely unshakeable.
Deeply Grateful for the Global Support
Looking back on this 10-year milestone, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible outpouring of support, guidance, and solidarity I have received from colleagues, partners, and friends all over the world. No one builds a global movement alone. It is your shared belief in this mission that has sustained and fortified this work through every chapter. Knowing our front is united makes all the difference.
Momentum is Building for July 17th!
I am coming off this ride with an incredible surge of energy because the progress we are making behind the scenes is fantastic. The global response to our upcoming Global Social Prescribing Summit on July 17, 2026, has been nothing short of extraordinary.
We are officially just one month away, and I am deeply excited to welcome our international community online. We are moving directly from high-level strategy to practical, system-wide delivery across more than 30 countries.
Our virtual stage is locked in with a phenomenal, world-class lineup of pioneers who live and breathe these values every day, including:
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John A. Naslund, PhD (Harvard Medical School)
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Dr. Libby Sallnow (University College London)
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Prof. Robert Dean (University of Lincoln)
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Cristina Vaz de Almeida (President of SPLS, Portugal)
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Ben Wilkins, Good Boost
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**David Kerr, DJK Global **
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Our phenomenal US leadership team: Jim D’Alfonso, Sheva Carr, and Dr. Robert Browning. The foundation is solid, our global network is completely aligned, and the momentum belongs entirely to whole-person care. Thank you to everyone who walks this path with us.
Clear your head this weekend, get outside, and embrace the medicine of movement! See you all online on July 17th.
👉** Secure your place today**: whis.world/gspa-summit-2026