Mayor Benjamin, America’s mayors and Surgeon General will celebrate World Heart Day with a Move with the Mayor walk on Sept. 29
September 25, 2018
Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin and mayors visiting for the US Conference of Mayors Fall Leadership Meeting will celebrate World Heart Day with a Move with the Mayor walk with U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams.
“Since 2016, we’ve partnered with the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention to promote good heart health for residents in our city, so we’re excited to amplify these efforts by hosting a Move with the Mayor walk with dozens of America’s mayors,” said Mayor Benjamin. “Heart disease is the number one cause of death for people in our nation, so it’s integral that, as mayors, we bring awareness to the importance of an active lifestyle to encourage our residents to be the healthiest version of themselves.”
The walk is open to the public and will begin at 11 a.m. at the Hilton Columbia Center (924 Senate St.) and end at the State House. James Patrick, fitness guru, will lead the walk and light exercises for the participants.
The Move with the Mayor event is part of a nationwide campaign, led by the National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention, to help Americans live longer and feel better. Cardiovascular diseases kill about 800,000 Americans every year, which is more deaths than from all types of cancer combined. Research shows walking just 30 minutes a day can significantly lower the risk of heart disease.
“Too many of us can’t do the things we enjoy most because of health limitations,” said John Clymer, executive director of the National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention. “And it will only get worse if we don’t do something for ourselves. What makes these deaths especially devastating is that heart disease is preventable for most people. That’s why we’re so grateful for the leadership of the United States Conference of Mayors and Surgeon General Adams in helping our nation’s citizens get on the road to better health.”
ABOUT THE NATIONAL FORUM FOR HEART DISEASE & STROKE PREVENTION
The National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention brings together the most dynamic and diverse organizations in cardiovascular health, providing a forum share knowledge and ideas and to collaborate. More than 90 public, private and nonprofit sector organizations are members. The National Forum is an independent non-profit, 501(c)(3), voluntary health organization. To learn more, visit www.nationalforum.org.
ABOUT WORLD HEART DAY
World Heart Day was founded by the World Heart Federation in the year 2000 to inform people around the globe that heart disease and stroke are the world’s leading causes of death, claiming 17.3 million lives each year. World Heart Day takes place on Sept. 29 every year.
