On March 25, 2026, the Division of Family & Community Medicine hosted the 6th annual Dr. Sarah Hawley Memorial Lecture.
Sarah Hawley, MD, was a gifted Family Medicine resident known for lighting up any room she entered and for making a lasting impact on those around her.
“Both inside and outside of medicine, Sarah led by example on how to live every day with joy, care, and passion,” said Associate Professor Brian Vukelic, MD. “She modeled how to care for people by letting them know they are important, worthy, and loved. Her energy and empathy couldn’t help but put a smile on your face and warm your heart.”
The annual lecture honors Dr. Hawley’s life and highlights topics that reflected her passions, including women’s health, pediatrics, and wilderness medicine.
This year’s lecture, titled “Meeting Families Where They Are: An Equity-Driven Lifestyle Medicine Framework to Address Childhood Obesity,” was presented by Erin Brackbill, MD, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville.
Dr. Brackbill centered the lecture on the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—nutrition, physical health, sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and social connection—and how these factors can prevent, manage, and treat childhood obesity.
Using a clinical case example, she also addressed the barriers faced by families that are impacted by health disparities and provided evidence-based strategies and resources that can guide those families into adopting healthier lifestyles.
“It’s been an honor to learn about her life and her impact. We learn from Sarah’s example to live in the moment and to make our life count with purpose,” Dr. Brackbill said.
To support the annual lecture, please consider making a gift to the Dr. Sarah Hawley Memorial Fund.