American Heart Walk draws many supporters
DOWNTOWN AKRON — More than 2,500 people attended the Annual American Heart Walk Sept. 16 at The University of Akron’s Athletic Field House. Pictured at right are employees, patients and families from Akron Children’s Hospital that showed up in force. Some of the participants were from Healing Hearts, an Akron Children’s Hospital support group for parents of children with congenital heart defects. Money raised from the Heart Walk goes toward the funding of adult and pediatric cardiovascular research and education. In addition to adults, the American Heart Association funds research related to heart health and heart disease in children, including congenital heart disease. During the past two years, the amount spent on research awards related to children’s heart disease totaled more than $34 million. Much of this money is awarded to research regarding how the heart develops before birth and how congenital heart defects develop. The association’s funding for pediatric research is second only to the federal government, according to American Heart Association officials.
Co-chairs of the 2006 event were Copley residents Guy and Renee Pipitone. Sponsors for the event included: Premier sponsor — Medical Mutual; Gold sponsors — Cambridge Home Health Care, Guy & Renee Pipitone and Summa Health System; Red Cap sponsor — Barberton Citizens Hospital; media sponsors — Akron Life & Leisure Magazine, Record Publishing and WAKR/WONE/WQMX; and national sponsor — Subway restaurants. More than 1.5 million people participated in this year’s Heart Walk events in more than 600 locations.
Photo courtesy of American Heart Association
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