AMERICAN HEART WALK In step, leaders combine events

This year's fund-raising goal has been set at $130,000.
YOUNGSTOWN -- American Heart Walk leaders and company team leaders gathered at Youngstown State University's Stadium Club on Tuesday to kick off the American Heart Walk scheduled for Sept. 13 at the YSU track.
For the first time, the Trumbull and Mahoning/Columbiana walks are combined into one walk at one site, said Elaine Welsh, local AHA communications director.
Guest speaker for the kickoff was Dr. Pyongsoo D. Yoon, director of cardiothoracic surgery at the Heart Hospital at Forum Health, who presented a slide program on updates in cardiovascular surgery and the impact that stroke may have during surgery.
2003 Heart Children
Roseanne Duraney, a registered nurse and team leader for Salem Community Hospital and a member of the association's Mahoning/Columbiana board of directors, introduced the 2003 Heart Children: Olivia Pushak, 6, daughter of Ted and Janine Pushak of Cortland, and Colin Beltran, 6, son of Melissa Stoddard of Austintown.
Before her birth, Olivia's parents were told one of their twin daughters had life-threatening structural heart defects.
It was feared she could not survive multiple surgeries.
At birth, Olivia was Life-Flighted to the Cleveland Clinic and had her first surgery.
To date, she has had three operations. She is active and healthy and will be attending first grade this year with her twin sister, Makayla.
Colin appeared to be a healthy 9-pound, 10-ounce boy at birth, but he turned blue while being fed in the nursery.
He, too, was Life-Flighted to the Cleveland Clinic, where an emergency procedure was performed to provide oxygen to his body and reduce blueness.
One week later, Colin underwent a operation to correct his serious congenital heart defect.
He spent 20 days in the hospital, but today he is healthy and looks forward to attending first grade.
The Heart Children will lead survivors on the opening lap at the Sept. 13 walk.
This year's goal
Sixty teams have been recruited to date to help raise $130,000 to fight cardiovascular disease and stroke, the leading cause of death in the area.
Last year's goal was $120,000.
Gold sponsors for the walk are the Heart & amp; Vascular Center at St. Elizabeth's and The Heart Hospital at Forum Health. Silver sponsors include National City Bank, The Heart Center of Northeastern Ohio, The Heart Center Children's Hospital Medical Center of Akron, and Armstrong Cable. Bronze sponsors are Ohio Heart Institute, Diagnostic Cardiology Associates, Guidant and Advanced Cardiology, Inc. Friends sponsors are Charter One Bank, Cellular One, Bristol-Myers Squibb Medical Imaging, and Anthem Blue Cross-Blue Shield.
Media sponsors for the American Heart Walk are The Vindicator, Clear Channel, Big 106.1 and News Channel 33.
National sponsors are NutriSoy and Subway.
Team leaders who did not attend the kickoff can contact Lynn Whetson, Heart Walk director, at (330) 965-9230.
Materials can be mailed or provided at the area office, 840 Southwestern Run in Boardman.