Minutes and seconds matter when someone is having a heart attack or stroke. Often, there is little warning, and the people nearby are best positioned to determine the outcome. We are losing someone every 34 seconds in America and, in fact, 1 in 3 will die due to heart disease. We often wonder if we’ll […]
Minutes and seconds matter when someone is having a heart attack or stroke. Often, there is little warning, and the people nearby are best positioned to determine the outcome. We are losing someone every 34 seconds in America and, in fact, 1 in 3 will die due to heart disease. We often wonder if we’ll be ready to help if needed. Thanks to the efforts of the American Heart Association, there is local training for CPR, wellness and nutrition programs, and the purchase and placement of AED Units that provide the life-saving shock needed in critical moments to restart a heart. I was compelled to get involved in the Heart Walk Quad Cities along with the City of Bettendorf to support a colleague that had just gotten a surprise diagnosis of a blocked carotid artery. Fortunately, the procedure to clear the issue was successful, and the individual joined us on the Heart Walk of 2012. The camaraderie and the support made a mark on many as we were thankful to be showing support for, not walking in memory of, our friend. However, many people take comfort in joining the Quad Cities Heart Walk because their friend or loved one didn’t have such a positive outcome. The more a person listens to the individual stories, the more we know the Quad Cities must put forth our best efforts to raise funds, awareness, and visibility for the life-changing pathways. As volunteer champions for the cause, we have partners who each have a personal “why” for being engaged. One of our executive leaders lost his father to a heart attack at 7 years old. Another has a history of heart disease and her mother just got a pacemaker. A young relative of a volunteer just received a heart transplant, while another wonders if his daughter’s resting heart rate (SVT) will hit over 200 beats per minute again today. Cardiovascular Disease is more deadly than all cancers combined, yet we have a fighting chance to make an impact. Our Quad Cities Leadership Team knows our community to be very generous! There are many fundraisers throughout the year, yet the Heart Walk struggles to gain the traction so desperately needed. Get involved by putting a corporate, organizational or individual team together! Join us in Schwiebert Park on Saturday, June 10, for 2023 Quad Cities Heart Walk. To sign up and join us, visit quadcitiesheartwalk.org. Scott Naumann is the chairman of Quad Cities Heart Walk 2023; director of business development for Point Builders; and Bettendorf’s 2nd Ward alderman.
