The Heart Walk’s mission is to fund research to cure heart disease and stroke
SANTA BARBARA — The American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke, is hosting the 2018 San Luis Obispo Heart & Stroke Walk, an event that has been instrumental in innovative breakthroughs over the last 25 years. Since the inception of the Heart Walk, mortality rates from cardiovascular disease and stroke have plummeted by 45 percent. Each walker and each donation has helped to transform health statistics into lives saved, but there is more work to be done.
The walk is among 300 Heart Walks held in communities across the nation. Nearly 1 million people walk each year for a singular mission, to cure heart disease and stroke. This year the San Luis Obispo Heart & Stroke Walk will be held on September 15th at the Avila Beach Promenade & Bob Jones Trail. Individuals and teams can register online at SLOHeartWalk.com.
“French Hospital Medical Center is nationally recognized as a leading cardiac facility, and we are proud to again sponsor the American Heart Association’s annual San Luis Obispo Heart Walk, an event that funds groundbreaking research and generates awareness for cardiovascular disease and stroke,” says French Hospital Medical Center President & CEO Alan Iftiniuk. “French Hospital is also an ongoing sponsor of the American Heart Association’s Life is Why initiative, and we partner to educate the public of the importance of heart health to create a thriving future for the communities we serve.”
Each time someone laces up their shoes or forms a team to participate in the Heart Walk they are instrumental in innovative breakthroughs. Every donation helps create new technologies such as the artificial heart valve, cholesterol drugs, stents, and the mechanical heart pump which helps extend the life of patients.
Each day, about 2,150 Americans die from heart disease from cardiovascular disease- the No. 1 killer in the United States. Stroke, the No. 5 killer and a leading cause of severe disability, claims the lives of nearly 219,000 each year.
The Heart Walk is open to the community as all are welcome to participate and change the story of heart disease and stroke in San Luis Obispo. Those who walk are committed to funding research that keeps hearts beating.
Over the past 25 years the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association have funded $3.4 billion in research. But the work is far from done. The American Heart Association is nearing the $5 billion mark as we work to fund big ideas to pioneer breakthroughs in our understanding and treatment of heart disease and stroke.
For more information or to register for the San Luis Obispo Heart & Stroke Walk, visit SLOHeartWalk.com.
The American Heart Association: The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About French Hospital Medical Center: French Hospital Medical Center, located in San Luis Obispo, California, is rated among the top hospitals in the nation. The Copeland, Forbes, and Rossi Cardiac Care Center provides the latest innovative cardiac and imaging technology, and is home to the Hearst Cancer Resource Center offering free education, resources and support to cancer patients and their families. French is a Dignity Health Central Coast hospital which also includes Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande, CA, Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, CA, St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, CA and St. John’s Pleasant Valley in Camarillo, CA. Dignity Health Central Coast is an integrated network of top quality hospitals, physicians from the most prestigious medical schools, and comprehensive outpatient services, including primary care offices, premier surgery centers, technologically-advanced laboratories, imaging centers and a full service home health agency; all recognized for quality, safety and service. Learn more at www.frenchmedicalcenter.org.