MILWAUKEE — On Saturday, thousands gathered at Veterans Park to raise awareness and support the fight against heart disease and stroke at the American Heart Association’s annual Heart and Stroke Walk/5k Run. 

What You Need To Know

  • Thousands gathered for the annual American Heart Association Heart and Stroke Walk/5k Run

  • Participants ranged from families with young children to health care workers and heart disease survivors

  • They were all there to promote heart health and raise funds for critical research

  • The more than $460,000 raised will help to fund research, teach CPR and better promote health in the community

Participants ranged from families with young children to health care workers and heart disease survivors, all united by a common cause: to promote heart health and raise funds for critical research.

Among the walkers was Naportia Ashford Bell, who works at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Milwaukee. She walked with her family to support those affected by heart conditions.

In her work at the hospital, she said seeing heart patients is common.

“We always have your fair share of heart patients, so just here to support and raise some money,” said Ashford Bell.

Katie Connolly, executive director of the American Heart Association, helped organize the event. She said it is all about educating people on the risks of heart disease and stroke.

“We are here raising awareness that heart disease is the number one killer of all Americans, along with stroke being the number five killer of all Americans,” said Connolly. “We want people to know the risks. We want people to know the signs and symptoms and we want people to know to take action.”

Connolly said there were more than 2,500 registered walkers and close to 200 runners.

“It’s wonderful to see the survivors as they cross that survivor line,” said Connolly. “It has taken them a very long time to get to that point. It’s a very long recovery, and when they can sit there and celebrate with their family, with their friends, and they’re cheering them on, it’s just amazing.”

For health care workers, the support from the community means even more.

“I think it means a lot,” said Ashford Bell. “It was fun. It’s nice to see everybody out walking together, everybody collaborating, all the different companies, the different hospitals. I think it’s just great to see when people can come together and do something nice for others.”

Additional teams who helped fundraise include Ascension Healthcare, GE HealthCare, ProHealth Care and even the Milwaukee Bucks. The more than $460,000 raised will help to fund research, teach CPR and better promote health in the community, according to the American Health Association.

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