America's Heart Run and Walk kicks off Thursday night
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: January 12, 2012
We are 50 days away from America's Greatest Heart Run and Walk.
Thursday night kicked off the event and Eyewitness News had a chance to speak to some survivors.
"November 2010, I woke up and I knew something was very wrong. I ended up having a heart attack and they rushed me to the hospital. I was 44 years old," said survivor, and Red Cap Ambassador, Mia Palmer.
Palmer got out of the hospital and knew she had to change her life.
"I stopped smoking, I started eating and exercising, and then I wanted to form a team, "Team Mia" for the heart walk," she said.
The Red Cap Ambassadors and this year's goal was announced Thursday night at the kick-off.
"Our goal is $1,119,000. Each year we have new Red Cap Ambassadors, and those are the people who tell their stories about how they survived heart disease," said Director, Jim Stasaitis.
"It certainly is life threatening, but it does have a way of snapping you back into reality," said Red Cap Ambassador, Tim O'Connor.
Tim O'Connor is an ambassador like Mia Palmer and is ready to be there for other people who may be suffering.
"I am really a proponent of testing, regular testing," said O'Connor.
For Mia, she wants to send a message to young woman here in Central New York.
"Just because you're male and you're over 40, doesn't mean that's the only group that can have a heart attack. I want people to see that I had a heart attack because everyone is like, what? I can't believe you did," said Palmer.
To register for America's Greatest Heart Run and Walk visit: http://heartwalk.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=483132
Thursday night kicked off the event and Eyewitness News had a chance to speak to some survivors.
"November 2010, I woke up and I knew something was very wrong. I ended up having a heart attack and they rushed me to the hospital. I was 44 years old," said survivor, and Red Cap Ambassador, Mia Palmer.
Palmer got out of the hospital and knew she had to change her life.
"I stopped smoking, I started eating and exercising, and then I wanted to form a team, "Team Mia" for the heart walk," she said.
The Red Cap Ambassadors and this year's goal was announced Thursday night at the kick-off.
"Our goal is $1,119,000. Each year we have new Red Cap Ambassadors, and those are the people who tell their stories about how they survived heart disease," said Director, Jim Stasaitis.
"It certainly is life threatening, but it does have a way of snapping you back into reality," said Red Cap Ambassador, Tim O'Connor.
Tim O'Connor is an ambassador like Mia Palmer and is ready to be there for other people who may be suffering.
"I am really a proponent of testing, regular testing," said O'Connor.
For Mia, she wants to send a message to young woman here in Central New York.
"Just because you're male and you're over 40, doesn't mean that's the only group that can have a heart attack. I want people to see that I had a heart attack because everyone is like, what? I can't believe you did," said Palmer.
To register for America's Greatest Heart Run and Walk visit: http://heartwalk.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=483132
