Hundreds attend heart walk, health fair

Umbrellas in hand, ponchos ready and rain jackets on, about 200 participants walked in the annual Joe F. Reed Memorial Heart Walk Saturday,

Participants walked either one mile or three miles around the grounds of the Clark Regional Medical Center to support the American Heart Association’s mission of building healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

The walk, which is a fundraiser for the American Heart Association, was named in honor of Reed, who was a long-time volunteer for the association.

David Frye wears a red heart — the mark of a survivor —  but his hat is extra special. It is adorned with 15 pins, a reminder of each walk he had participated in since 2002, when he had stents put in his heart following a heart attack.

“I walk to remind people there are people out there that need to help raise money for research,” Frye said.

There were several participants on Team Tylan decked out in bright blue shirts that said: “I walk for my heart and Tylan’s too.”

Crissy Wilburn said her son Tylan was born with three holes in his heart. So he had an Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), and he had open heart surgery when he was young.

Now, Tylan plays basketball, football and is an overall healthy young boy.

Tylan was at the front of the line, jogging ahead of other participants during the walk. Wilburn said she participates in bringing awareness to those affected cardiovascular issues.

Joey Maggard, executive director of the Central Kentucky Chapter of the American Heart Association, said it’s important to raise awareness of cardiovascular diseases, stroke and other heart-related issues. He said he hopes people learn how to live healthier, be mindful of their eating, move a little bit more and quit smoking.

He said the walks are one way to teach people about the American Heart Association and to raise awareness and funds for research.

“The best part is meeting people and hearing their stories,” Maggard said.

The Clark Regional Medical Center also hosted the Community Health Fair from 10 am to 1 p.m. Saturday following the walk.

At the health fair, CRMC offered some screenings such as including blood pressure, glucose, blood type and bone density. Several hospital departments also handed out information during the health fair, showing attendees how to administer CPR, how quick germs can spread and more.

There were also tables with information about healthy eating and offering healthier recipes. Attendees were also provided healthy snacks during the event.

Children learned about bicycle during a safety course and had the opportunity to get up close and personal with a helicopter used to transport patients between hospitals.

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