Before Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson was a world champ, he was a little league player at Adams Park in Kennesaw. He honed his skills on the field at Marietta High School. And while you can now see him playing in front of 40,000 fans at Truist Park, he hasn’t forgotten his metro Atlanta roots.
Now he’s teamed up with Wellstar, another hometown institution, to stay at the top of his game — continuing a tradition that started the day he was born at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center.
“For my family, sports are a tradition,” Dansby said. “We have another family tradition too — looking to Wellstar for high-quality healthcare. Generations of our family came into this world at Wellstar Kennestone, including me and my siblings and my sister’s kids too.”
With convenient access to comprehensive care, Wellstar is there to cheer on Georgians like Dansby and help our communities thrive. Whether you’re running the bases or running your weekly errands, we all want to feel our best and stay ahead of health issues — and that starts with being proactive about our health.
“To live like an all-star, you’ve got to touch base with your primary care team regularly, at least once a year,” Dansby said. “Staying on top of our health means fewer surprises from left field.”
Your primary care provider will partner with you to create a personalized game plan to help you reach your health goals. Just like you may track Dansby’s home runs and batting average if you’re a Braves fan, you should keep up with your own health stats by staying up-to-date on screenings.
A few of your own stats you should know include:
- Body mass index. This can determine if you have a healthy body weight.
- LDL and HDL (low-density and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). This blood test measures cholesterol levels.
- Blood pressure. This is measured using an arm cuff and only takes a minute.
- HbA1c (hemoglobin A1C). This metric measures whether you have healthy blood sugar. If you are diabetic, you should check your A1C every three months.
Men are less likely than women to see their primary care provider regularly, but it’s still crucial they get regular screenings to stay healthy for themselves and the people they love.
“Men aren't always the best at making health a priority, but you need to know your numbers to keep you in the game and out of a slump,” Dansby said.
Men who are 50 or older should get checked for prostate cancer by their primary care provider. You may need to start screening even sooner, depending on your risk factors and family history. Ask your provider about setting up a screenings plan, so you can be proactive against prostate cancer.
With locations around metro Atlanta and West Georgia — and virtual care options available — Wellstar supports Braves fans all over Georgia. Find a location near you.
