The San Diego State Cheer Squad cheered on walkers at the Oceanside SOCAL Sports Complex during the second Annual American Heart Association North County San Diego Heart & Stroke Walk. The Oct. 20 event drew a crowd of walkers and raised awareness of heart health.
The American Heart Association partnered with the Tri-City Medical Center for this annual event.
Teresa Contreras, vice president of development for the San Diego division of the American Heart Association, said the American Heart Association and Tri-City Medical Center collaborate on many community health campaigns.
“The Heart Walk is a special event because it is designed to meet people where they are — at work — to talk about heart health and living ‘Healthy for Good,’” she said. “Through sponsorships and individual fundraising, participants enable our organization to make an impact on the communities where they live, work and play. The Heart Walk is a great opportunity to invest in your own heart health, as well as the heart health of your family and community — while raising funds for the fight against heart disease and stroke.”
Contreras went on to say research has shown that adding more steps to your day could add years to your life — and to the lives of those walking with you.
“The most difficult part with lifestyle change is often the first step,” she said. “We are hopeful a number of people took that step with us on Oct. 20.”
During the event, visitors were able to receive free health screenings. Other favorite spots were the Healthy for Good and Kids Zone destination areas. Participants from “Mended Hearts,” a peer-to-peer cardiovascular support group, was also on hand at the Survivor Area.
“We were excited about the growth in the number of companies involved in this year’s walk,” Contreras said. “We understand not everyone can make it to the Heart Walk, and by having more companies involved, we know more people are hearing the message, which is always an objective as it allows us to reach more people with our heart healthy messaging.
“The American Heart Association also wants to reinforce that being more active doesn’t have to be hard — take the stairs, park farther away, ditch the conference room and take your meeting on a walk. The key is to find activities you enjoy and make them part of your daily routine.”
For those who were unable to attend the North County Heart Walk, but would like to show support, visit www.Heart.Org/NCSDHeartWalk. For more information about Tri-City Medical Center and Tri-City Healthcare District, visit www.tricitymed.org.
