Join Long Beach Heart Walk to fight heart disease and stroke Sept. 24

The American Heart Association’s (AHA) Long Beach Heart Walk on Sept. 24 at Rainbow Lagoon Park is expected to draw more than 3,000 walkers, including survivors of cardiovascular disease, like Annabelle Provisor and Lilly Rocha.

Annabelle was born with a critical congenital heart defect and has had two open-heart surgeries. Now 8 years old, Annabelle is thriving and there seems to be little that she doesn’t do. The outgoing third grader plays soccer and basketball, participates in gymnastics and a local theater group, and plays with her younger brothers Jaden and Evan. Annabelle and her family have been participating in the Heart Walk for eight years to help the AHA fund more medical research, which they credit for saving her life.

Lilly was at the height of her career when a heart attack stopped her in her tracks. She woke up one morning with severe jaw and chest pain, and numbing on the left side of her body. Despite her discomfort, Lilly went to work. One of her coworkers recognized she was having a heart attack and drove her to the emergency room. Lilly is participating in the Long Beach Heart Walk to celebrate her second chance at life and raise awareness of the warning signs of a heart attack.

Long Beach community members are invited to join Lilly and Annabelle at the Heart Walk to help build healthier lives, free of heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.

Sponsored nationally by Subway and locally by Union Bank and Keck Medicine of USC, the Heart Walk aims to create a culture of health by engaging community members in physical activity and heart-healthy living, while raising funds to fight heart disease and stroke. It includes a non-competitive 5K walk/run and a festival area featuring interactive and fun activities, health information, Kids Zone, entertainment and more. The event starts at 7:30 a.m., with the welcome program taking place at 8:30 a.m. The 5K walk around Rainbow Lagoon Park kicks off at 9 a.m.

In addition to Long Beach, more walks will take place in Pasadena (Oct. 8), Santa Clarita (Oct. 15) and Palmdale (Nov. 5). The combined goal for the four walks is to raise $1.75 million to support heart disease and stroke research, community education programs, patient care improvement initiatives and other mission-related work.

Heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases claim the lives of more than 800,000 people in the U.S. every year. On the other hand, regular physical activity, such as brisk walking for as little as 30 minutes a day, has proven health benefits, including increased energy and circulation, as well as reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. The Heart Walk inspires participants to embrace a renewed commitment to heart-healthy living through walking and other healthy habits.

Keck Medicine of USC Chief Administrative Officer Paul Craig and USC Verdugo Hills Hospital CEO Keith Hobbs are co-chairing this year’s Heart Walks. The events are supported by national sponsor Subway and My Heart. My Life. Platform sponsors Union Bank and Keck Medicine of USC.

For more information and to join a Heart Walk near you, visit www.HeartWalkLA.org, or contact Rachel Axelrod at 213-291-7025 or rachel.axelrod@heart.org.

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About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers. 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 American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or join us, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or any of our offices around the country, or visit www.heart.org.