This year, more than one million walkers will participate in more than 600 events across the country, raising funds to save lives from this country's number one and number three killers: heart disease and stroke.
Deann Montchal, BSN, MA, director of the UI Heart and Vascular Center at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, talks about the heart walk:
Can you tell us some of the details about the Heart Walk—when, where, how long the course is going to be?
The Heart Walk begins in Lower City Park in Iowa City Saturday, April 26. The Heart Walk itself starts at 9 a.m. Check-in is 8 a.m. for registration and where people can drop off their money. At 8 a.m. there are some festivities for kids and some other fun happenings taking place. The walk itself will begin between shelters 6 and 7, directly across from the Shakespeare Theatre. The walk is a 5K, which is a little bit over three miles long at the City Park.
Who is it that can participate in this walk?
Anyone and everyone is welcome to participate as an individual, or welcome to bring their entire family out for the day.
If somebody is unable to participate, is there a way that they could still help the cause?
Absolutely. We're still looking for donations to this cause. People who are unable to attend at the last minute, or even who think about it now, are welcome to pledge to a team that they know might be walking or to any individual walker themselves.
As a health care staff member involved in heart care, how important are days like tomorrow in terms of raising both money and awareness about the issue?
Days like this are incredibly important. It helps raise awareness of the need to help fight the heart disease which is, of course, as you mentioned the number one killer of men and women in this country. This awareness helps in many different ways. The Heart Walk itself is a fundraising event, it helps to fund research efforts, and the awareness helps spread the message of how serious this threat is, and the need for people to become educated in the signs and symptoms and to seek treatment.
UI Hospitals and Clinics has several areas that specialize in the treatment of the heart. Do you know if any or how many of them will be taking part in the walk?
I believe there are approximately 50 teams registered to walk tomorrow. That represents about 400 people.
Any competition between those different teams—a friendly competition on who's going to raise the most money?
There's always a little friendly competition. Of course making people aware of heart disease and stroke is always the number one goal, but there's a little, friendly competition that takes place in-house. This does impact all the areas of the hospital, so it's fun to watch the teams—such areas as Capital Management and other areas that are not even involved with patient care—become very passionate about this cause. Staff from all over go to all lengths—things like silent basket auctions, dessert sales—and do everything they can to try to raise the most money for their team.
Can you remind us again of some of the particular about the walk—when and where it is—if people are interested in taking part?
It is Saturday, April 26 at Lower City Park in Iowa City with registration between 8 and 9 a.m. The walk begins at 9 a.m. between shelters 6 and 7 across from the Shakespeare Theatre.
|
