Start! Heart Walk planned

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Thousands from Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties will celebrate life, remember loved ones and raise funds for the American Heart Association on Sept. 25 at the 2010 Start! Heart Walk held at the Covelli Centre.

The money raised by individuals and teams joining together to battle America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, cardiovascular disease and stroke, will fund life-saving research and education programs throughout the country geared at reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Co-workers, families, friends and heart-disease and stroke survivors will be able to take advantage of health screenings, educational information and activities for children. Activities and registration begin at 9 a.m. and the Heart Walk begins at 10:10 a.m.

Donald Koenig, chief operating officer and executive vice president of Humility of Mary Health Partners and St. Elizabeth Health Center, is this year’s event chairman.

As a resident and businessman dedicated to the health and success of the Youngstown area, Koenig encourages the community to get involved and help reduce the number of deaths in the U.S. — more than 900,000 annually — that are the result of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

One of the many who have been helped by advances in cardiovascular research is the 2010 Youngstown Area Start! Heart Walk Heart Child, 4-year-old Lucas Kuhlman of Columbiana who, at less than 2 years old, underwent open-heart surgery to correct a congenital heart defect called a primium atrial septal defect in his mitral valve.

Lucas’ defect caused a cleftlike opening in the mitral valve wall, connecting the two chambers of the heart and allowing blood to flow back into the right chamber. This mixed already oxygenated blood with nonoxygenated blood and caused the right side of Lucas’ heart to overtax itself. Left untreated, Lucas would have been in congestive heart failure.

Lucas is living a healthy life today because of the research and advancements in medical technology. Lucas and his family — mother, Sara; father, Chad; and brother, Jack — will all be walking in this year’s Heart Walk.

Sponsorship from health-conscious local businesses and organizations make this event possible. This year’s local sponsors include: St. Elizabeth Heart & Vascular Center, Akron Children’s Hospital — The Heart Center, The Cafaro Company, and Covelli Enterprises. This year’s media sponsors are WKBN, WYTV, Clear Channel Radio Youngstown and Armstrong Cable. Subway and Wal-Mart are the national sponsors.

In addition to raising funds, the Start! Heart Walk encourages the community to take steps toward a healthier lifestyle by incorporating physical activity into their lives. As part of that effort, the AHA honors community members with Lifestyle Change Awards for those individuals who have made significant strides in improving their eating habits and cholesterol levels, lowering blood pressure, increasing the amount of physical activity in their lives, etc. Nominees for the award are being accepted.

To nominate an individual for the Lifestyle Change Award, call Start! Heart Walk director Allison Oltmann at 330-318-1002.

For more information on the Youngstown Start! Heart Walk, call 330-318-1002 or visit http://heartwalk.kintera.org/youngstownoh.