While 2025 is winding down, the end of the year is often anything but relaxing for many people around the District, nation and world. December is a busy time, as it often comes with holiday preparation, social gatherings, and planning for the new year.
Even with the fast pace of the season, it’s critical folks take a moment to slow down and strategize for what’s to come in 2026 and beyond– and part of that includes prioritizing health and wellness.
English essayist and poet Leigh Hunt ( Oct, 19 1784- August 28, 1859) once said: “The groundwork for all happiness is good health.”
Pulling from Hunt’s theory, working to make this time merry and bright comes with encouraging healthy living.
This year came with a lot of major health announcements and blows. Consider Serena Williams and others advocating for increased access to weight loss medications or the death of D’Angelo due to pancreatic cancer. Think of Montel Jordan raising awareness about prostate cancer post his diagnosis and rapper Megan Thee Stallion getting personal with Taraji P. Henson about her mental health struggles at the Boris L. Henson Foundation Can We Talk? summit.
Then there’s the health concerns of the year: Medicaid protections; politicians weighing the continuance of the Affordable Care Act (ACA); inflation mixed with increased economic challenges leading to food insecurity; and the continued disparities facing Black Americans, including: breast cancer, maternal and infant outcomes and access to mental and physical wellness care.
While there are challenges, there are also organizations, tools and tips to tap into, in order to plan for a healthy lifestyle overall.
From learning about the work happening at organizations and facilities around the District, to mental health tips to last this holiday season and beyond, this edition has tools to keep the whole family healthy, happy and whole.
Use this edition as inspiration while setting health goals for the new year and keep it handy to reference some of the programming coming in 2026 that encourage and support wellness.
While health challenges can certainly be unpredictable, there are ways to improve one’s wellness and promote overall healthier outcomes.
Despite health hardships, there’s hope– much of which can be found in the people across the DMV area working to combat disparities and crises and encourage wellness for all.
That hope in health can take people a long way.
In the words of an Arabian proverb: “He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything.”