The American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke, is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Heart Walk, an event that has been instrumental in innovative breakthroughs over the last 25 years. Since the inception of the Heart Walk in 1993, mortality rates from cardiovascular disease and stroke have plummeted by 45 percent. Each walker and each donation has helped to transform health statistics into lives saved, but there is more work to be done.

The San Joaquin Heart Walk is among 300 Heart Walks held in communities across the nation. Nearly one million people each walk for a singular mission, to cure heart disease and stroke. This year the San Joaquin Heart Walk will be held on Saturday, Sept. 29 at the University of the Pacific (DeRosa University Center Lawn Area). Individuals and teams can register online at www.SanJoaquinHeartWalk.org.

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit heart.org.

Media Sponsors for the San Joaquin Heart Walk include 209 Magazine, DSN Outdoor, iHeart Radio and KAT Country/KJOY.

Each time someone laces up their shoes or forms a team to participate in the Heart Walk they are influential in groundbreaking breakthroughs that have taken place in the last 25 years. Every donation helps create new technologies such as the artificial heart valve, cholesterol drugs, stents, and the mechanical heart pump which helps extend the life of patients.

Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States and 2,150 Americans die each day from it. Stroke, the No. 5 killer in the U.S. and a leading cause of severe disability, claims the lives of nearly 219,000 each year.

The Heart Walk is open to the community as all are welcome to participate and change the story of heart disease and stroke. Those who walk are committed to funding research that keeps hearts beating.

Over the past 25 years the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association have funded $3.4 billion in research. But the work is far from done. The American Heart Association is nearing the $5 billion mark as it works to fund big ideas to pioneer breakthroughs in the understanding and treatment of heart disease and stroke.

For more information or to register for the San Joaquin Heart Walk, visit www.SanJoaquinHeartWalk.org.