"Shoes for Shots" is a program that offers brand new shoes to Sunflower Health Plan members, between the ages of 11 and 13, who receive their second dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. The brands of shoes offered to members this year were Nike, Crocs, Adidas and Hey Dude. 

Sunflower Health Plan's "Shoes for Shots" was a pilot program last year, through the State of Kansas' KanCare program, and now is in its second year, said Nicole Dixon, MBA, Quality Improvement Specialist II and Health Equity Improvement Co-Chair with Sunflower Health Plan. Dixon said that they partner with county health departments in Kansas that include Reno, Finney, Sedgwick and Wyandotte counties. 

Kelley Davies brought her son Warren Hutson to the Reno County Health Department Tuesday morning after making an appointment for his second dose of the HPV vaccine. When Davies was asked about the program, she said, "I think it's fantastic (because) it gives children and parents an incentive to make sure their children are covered. The more I can do to protect my child (I'll do,) and this just makes it better because now he has a new pair of shoes!" If you are part of the Sunflower Health Plan and want to know more about the program, you can contact Nicole Dixon at nicole.dixon2@sunflowerhealthplan.com