The 25th annual Brazos County Heart Walk raises community awareness for heart disease and stroke, which are the leading causes of death in America.
The Heart Walk is a community-oriented fundraising event organized by the American Heart Association that will take place Nov. 3 at Lot 94 on the West Campus. The 5k will feature a variety of booths and sponsors aiming to educate the community on the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle and monitoring heart health.
The event is committed to encouraging community members to take an active role in their heart health said Brittany Cervantes, corporate market director for the American Heart Association in Brazos County.
“The goal is to encourage people to get active and take charge of their own heart health,” Cervantes said. “We want to raise awareness about the warning signs and prevention for heart disease and the signs for stroke as well.”
According to a 2015 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease was the leading cause of death in the United States and factors such as poor diet, physical inactivity and diabetes increase risk of heart disease.
“About 630,000 Americans die from Heart Disease each year — that’s one in every four deaths,” the study said. “About half of Americans (49%) have at least one of these three risk factors.”
The walk is free to attend and everyone is encouraged to participate Cervantes said.
“They can expect a lot of educational materials about heart disease and stroke,” Cervantes said. “We had someone attend our walk for two years who didn’t know that they had heart disease until they had their blood pressure numbers taken at the event.”
Cervantes said local donations from community members like Kenny Bergman and Sid Alexander are instrumental in funding research and raising awareness for heart disease and stroke.
“We are trying to get to $35,000 and it is a good target because it will challenge us and raise money to help fund more programs in the community to raise awareness for heart disease and stroke,” Cervantes said. “Those who cannot attend can donate online.”
Kenny Bergman, a volunteer at the Brazos County Heart Walk for 24 years, said the event is an important way to raise awareness.
“I think everybody needs to do what they can to help support the cause,” Bergman said. “More people die of heart disease every year than all cancers combined.”
Cervantes said the event has a crucial role in educating the public on the importance of monitoring personal health and being aware of the causes and risks of heart disease.
“The heart walk benefits the entire Brazos County community,” Cervantes said. “We encourage people to take care of themselves so they can take care of their family and friends as well.”