Today, we’re in Plano, Texas, with the Dallas Mavericks to kick off our week-long series and giveaway, “Walk a Mile in Their Shoes,” at Head for the Cure’s 5K! Our "Walk a Mile in Their Shoes" series will showcase and celebrate nurses’ unique healthcare stories during National Nurses Week, which runs from May 6 to May 12, 2024.
Nurses who share their stories with our social media team today at the Head for the Cure 5K will receive a $160 gift card to use toward a pair of Clove sneakers,* a modern shoe made for healthcare workers. Those who participate in our giveaway will have a chance to win one of 100 additional codes to purchase the up-and-coming brand’s popular sneakers!
About ‘Walk a Mile in Their Shoes’
Listening to nurses’ stories
"Walk a Mile in Their Shoes" is designed to bring awareness to the stories of healthcare professionals and amplify their voices so that we all can understand the incredible and challenging work they do each and every day while taking care of our most vulnerable populations.
Since its inception in 2016, ShiftKey has been dedicated to making independent work available to these professionals, who are at high risk of burnout. Results detailed in our recent “Solutions to Healthcare Burnout Report” underscore this risk: 62% of healthcare professionals say they’re at risk of burnout now, and 94% say their jobs have required them to make “significant personal sacrifices.”
Additionally, healthcare workers feel misunderstood, with an overwhelming 95% of respondents stating that people don’t understand the challenges of their work. Yet despite their challenges, 79% wouldn’t trade their career for another.
We got curious about these results, and set out to learn more. In its inaugural year, “Walk a Mile in Their Shoes” will share the stories of healthcare workers, especially nurses, to clear up misconceptions about the profession and contribute to a shared understanding of how companies, facilities and policymakers can assist them in continuing to pursue their passion for healthcare — without burning out.
How to participate in ‘Walk a Mile in Their Shoes’
Show your solidarity and support
Post a photo of your favorite nurse (or nurses) on Instagram with the hashtags #ThankANurse (the official hashtag of the American Nurses Association) and #WalkAMile.
And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, where we’ll be sharing nurses’ stories throughout National Nurses Week. If you have a story to tell, we want to hear it! We’re giving away 100 codes for $160 toward a pair of Clove shoes for healthcare workers who follow us and like and comment on our “Walk a Mile in Their Shoes” post.*
About Head for the Cure
Supporting vital brain cancer research
Head for the Cure, a national nonprofit dedicated to “building awareness, raising funds and igniting hope for the brain tumor community,” held its first 5K in 2003. Since then, the organization has funded brain cancer research and hosted trials with MD Anderson and NIH, among other projects.
In 2023 alone, Head for the Cure granted almost $800,000 to beneficiaries across the nation. It also honors healthcare workers nationwide through its program, Healthcare Heroes.
ShiftKey and the Dallas Mavericks are proud to sponsor the North Texas Head for the Cure 5K today, and we’ve covered the entrance fee for up to 150 local nurses, who will receive a pair of Clove sneakers if they share their healthcare story with us.* To honor the contributions of this year’s Healthcare Heroes, we’ll also give each winner a pair of the popular shoes.**
In addition to the race, this action-packed day will feature performances and photo opportunities with the ManiAACs and Champ, the Dallas Mavericks mascot. Ruthie’s for Good, a popular food truck that serves the Dallas community by partnering with nonprofits, will be on-site from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. providing their delicious breakfast fare to all racers for free.
About Clove
The company on a mission to help healthcare workers
For our giveaway, we wanted to partner with a brand dedicated to healthcare workers. Clove makes nurses' daily journeys a little more comfortable. Review after review says that Clove shoes have provided comfort during long shifts, and some even say the shoes relieved their pain. We hope that each time these nurses put on their Clove shoes, they'll be reminded that their stories matter and that people are listening.
You can support healthcare workers year-round
To show your solidarity with our nation’s nurses, talk to the nurses in your life and find out how you can help them reduce burnout. Educate yourself about the challenges they face, starting with our “Solutions to Healthcare Burnout Report.” And share their stories.
For year-round coverage of the issues affecting nurses, follow us on Instagram and look for more in-depth coverage on our blog.
