Volunteers, survivors, and supporters of the American Heart Association’s 2017 Heart and Stroke Walk gathered at California State University Stanislaus, (Stan State), for the first time to bring awareness to the importance of a healthy lifestyle on Saturday, Sep. 16.
Forty companies and over 2,000 people attended the event that sunny morning, according to CEO of Emanuel Medical Center and Chair of the 2017 Heart and Stroke Walk Susan Micheletti.
The event was centered around the desire for individuals to learn more about what it means to live a healthy lifestyle and fulfill the American Heart Association’s motto for doing so, “life is why.”
In the event’s opening ceremony, Micheletti stated that “heart disease and strokes affect one in three people.”
The American Heart Association’s heart mascot greeting families. (Signal photo/ Kristen Dias)
Micheletti honored Jim Fugler and Derek Bell that morning with the Lifetime Change Award for committing their lives to beating heart disease and strokes by changing dietary habits and exercising.
Jim Fugler (Left) and Derek Bell (Right) accepting the Lifetime Change Award. (Signal photo/ Kristen Dias)
Katie Manlone, Local Executive Director for Stanislaus County Division of the American Heart Association, greeted people as they approached the registration booth.
“Today is a celebration of all of our volunteers, all of our donors, and all of our supporters coming together,” Manlone said. “We’ve raised over $200,000 to support the American Heart Association, and so that’s what we’re here today to do.”
Jennifer Barajas (Left) and Mia Abellar from Health-Self Rehabilitation Hospital of Modesto. (Signal photo/ Kristen Dias)
She stated that the events were made possible through their sponsors:Doctors Medical Center, Emanuel Medical Center and Doctors Hospital of Manteca. Individuals were encouraged to take advantage of the free, ten minute sessions of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training.
Free, ten minute CPR sessions. (Signal photo/ Kristen Dias)
“We also have health screenings, or blood pressure screenings going on, and then we also have a really fun selfie booth,” Manlone said. Other activities included a life-sized operation game, balloon animals, a bouncy house, and a heart booth where volunteers could deliver “say it with heart” cards to local survivors as encouragement.
Event attendees receive balloon art, while wearing Warrior red, during the 2017 Heart and Stroke Walk. (Signal photo/ Kristen Dias)
Team Captain Karen Wright, with Sutter Health, underwent surgery to have three stents placed in her heart and was diagnosed with a heart disease in 2016. She alone raised $2,350 for the American Heart Association.
Karen Wright (Middle Right) walks with her team. (Signal photo/ Kristen Dias)
“I changed my whole life around since 2016, I don’t eat any red meat anymore, I watch everything that I eat, every portion on my plate. I don’t eat the fats anymore, I’m very cautious of everything that I eat and drink,” Wright said.
She believed that education was the most powerful source to raising awareness to heart disease and wished to continue that education in schools.
“We need to start young, not when you’re sixty-years-old. I found out when I was fifty-nine, I’m sixty now, so education is the most important part about heart disease, especially if it’s in your family. If it’s in your family, you need to take this serious,” Wright said.
Wright stated that the best part of the event for her was “the togetherness” as one big family supporting the same cause.
After the opening ceremony commenced, Studio V, a pilates and fitness group, took the stage to lead the participants in a stretch routine before beginning their walk or run on the designated route.
Studio V leads participants in a stretch routine before the Heart and Stroke Walk begins. (Signal photo/ Kristen Dias)
According to Stan State’s Heart and Stroke Walk 2017 web page, the 5K paved route took “a clockwise spin around campus with scenic inroads around the Reflecting Pond and Willow Lake.” A one mile route was also provided for survivors.
Stan State’s first Heart and Stroke Walk begins. (Signal photo/ Kristen Dias)
Ron Gordon and his six-month-old great grand-daughter Kennadee Hawkins were just two survivors in attendance that day.
Gordon stated that he had undergone two open heart surgeries and “a few stents,” while his great grand-daughter had gone through her first open heart surgery at just six weeks old. Gordon and his family were there to support other survivors at the event that day.
Ron Gordon, Kennadee Hawkins and family. (Signal photo/ Kristen Dias)
He said that he was able to learn new things from interacting with the Doctors and Emanuel Medical Center’s giant heart display, which gave a new way to view the mechanics of the human heart and how it functions.
Doctors and Emanuel Medical Center’s giant heart display. (Signal photo/ Kristen Dias)
Other booth sponsors in attendance at the event included Gallo Family Vineyards, Livingston Community Health, Kaiser Permanente, and California Almonds, Almond Board of California.
The 2017 Heart and Stroke Walk’s media sponsors included Madden from KHOP 95.1 as the event’s media coordinator as well.
Manlone stated that the event hoped to raise $250,000 during the Heart and Stroke Walk with the help of all its attendees.
Participants of the 2017 Heart and Stroke Walk set out on their 5K route. (Signal photo/ Kristen Dias)
“We are also so grateful to California State University Stanislaus for letting us host our event this year for the first time, and we’re just so thankful to President Junn for her spearheading a heart-walk team and getting the campus involved in really learning how to live healthier,” Manlone said.
