The third annual Heart Walk 5k, put on by the American Heart Association, will start in Bridgeport park Saturday.
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The race is an effort to raise awareness of heart disease and strokes, which are the number one and five killers in America.
It is also a fundraiser for research to cure heart disease.
“Most of the people participating have been fundraising for a while now,” said Kristine Kelly, the senior director of communications and marketing for the American Heart Association.
Bridgeport park is located at 23520 Bridgeport Lane, and parking is available in the Real Life Church lot across the street from the event. The run will begin at 8 a.m.
The Association is only $600,000 away from the $1.5 million goal set to be raised from a series of Heart Walk events throughout the Los Angeles area. Kelly believes that the Santa Clarita event will push the total raised over over the threshold.
The American Heart Association is second only to the federal government in funding programs towards heart research.
Previous Story: Santa Clarita Heart Walk Educates About The Hardships Of Heart Disease
“People may not see their contribution right away,” Kelly said, “but in five years their contribution will make a big impact.”
The Santa Clarita event encourages walk-ons, who can run in support of a loved one or donate at booths near the start of the race.
As well as an expected 3,000 runners, the Association has three featured guests participating.
Susan Madero survived a heart attack on Valentine’s Day, when she began noticing symptoms in a movie theater.
Yolanda Chartan and others of the Chartan family are walking in memory of Yolanda’s son, who lost his life at age 24 to an undiagnosed heart condition.
And the family of Jasmine Winning will be participating. Jasmine just celebrated her first birthday after two open heart surgeries due to being born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which caused half of her heart to be severely undeveloped to the point of not pumping blood.
Many different teams, both from local companies and the community, are signed up to participate. UCLA and Princess Cruises are both represented.
Dancers from Shooting Stars Dance Studio will also lead a team.
“The daughter of the owner is a heart disease survivor,” said Kelly.
Kelly believes that the walk can make a large difference in a community, and that the research done by the foundation can save thousands of lives.
“In order to do that,” she said, “we realize that having a healthy heart is incredibly important.”
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