(Buffalo,NY, September 22, 2018) – Get ready to ride the revolution! The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) is hosting the first-ever CycleNation event in Buffalo on Saturday, September 22 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the ADPRO Sports Training Center located at 1 Bills Drive in Orchard Park.
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This high-energy, endorphin pumping, indoor stationary cycling event, chaired by Dr. Chee Kim, Cardiac Electrophysiologist at Kaleida Health, and Dr. Elad Levy, Co-Director of the Kaleida Health Stroke Center, will welcome over 300 people to raise lifesaving funds for heart disease and stroke research in our community.
The day begins with registration at 4 p.m. where participants, their friends, co-workers and family can enjoy heart-healthy snacks, nutrition advice, a chance to win prizes, an interactive selfie stop and receive valuable information about stroke and heart disease prevention. Each rider enjoys a 25-minute, high-energy stationary cycling session led by local instructors from Revolution Buffalo and Rebel Ride Indoor Cycling and Strength before handing off to another team member. Each team can have up to eight riders. Cycling will take place between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. with a 21 and up after-party to follow from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
“Western New York is ranked among the highest for stroke rate,” said Dr. Elad Levy, Co-Director, Kaleida Health Stroke Center. “During a stroke, 2 million neurons per minute die. CycleNation will help raise awareness and funding to help us continue our fight to treat stroke in our community.”
The goal of this inaugural event is to use cycling to improve heart and brain health, while raising funds to continue the AHA/ASA’s vital community programs, lifesaving research and advocacy efforts to end heart disease and stroke.
“Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in the US despite the advancements in medicine. The main reason is that sudden cardiac death can be the first manifestation of heart disease in an otherwise unsuspecting individual,” said Dr. Chee Kim, Cardiac Electrophysiologist, Kaleida Health. “The key to making any true impact in reducing cardiovascular deaths is better education of the general population with preventative medicine and pursuit of a healthy lifestyle.”
Being physically active is important to prevent heart disease and stroke, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers, with stroke being the No. 3 killer in Western New York. To improve overall cardiovascular health, the AHA/ASA suggests at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise, or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise.
“CycleNation is a fantastic event to spearhead a conversation about that 360-degree look at staying active and incorporating a healthier lifestyle,” said Michelle Mason, Director of Development for the AHA/ASA. “Cycling strengthens heart muscles, lowers resting pulse and reduces cholesterol. Additionally, cycling increases brain function, processing speed and mental alertness. We are really proud of our work through CycleNation and we know that through our local efforts we will be able to save countless lives this coming year.”
Company and community teams are welcome. All riders must register online at CycleNation.org/Buffalo to start a team or join a team. You may also contact Michelle Mason to sign up your team and for more event information at Michelle.Mason@heart.org.
CycleNation is Nationally sponsored by Amgen. The local signature sponsor is Kaleida Health. The media sponsors are WGRZ-TV and Buffalo Healthy Living. Other local sponsors include Medtronic, Boston Scientific and Geico, to name a few.
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About the American Stroke Association
Starting 20 years ago with the American Stroke Association’s inception as a division of the American Heart Association, advancements have revolutionized the field of stroke prevention and treatment. As many as 80 percent of strokes are preventable. And, while one in 4 stroke survivors have a second stroke, the good news is that second strokes are also largely preventable with a healthy lifestyle. Most people who have a stroke have high blood pressure, so it’s incredibly important for everyone to know their numbers and keep them under control to help prevent a stroke.
The ASA’s Together to End Stroke™ initiative teaches the acronym F.A.S.T. to help people to recognize the most common stroke warning signs and what to do if one occurs:
• F – Face Drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
• A – Arm Weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S – Speech Difficulty: Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence like, “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
• T – Time to call 911: If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and get them to the hospital immediately. Calling 911 is the fastest proven way to access treatment because hospitals are set up to treat stroke patients arriving by ambulance.