CO-CHAIRS ANNOUNCED FOR 2016 HARTFORD HEART WALK

Garth_Graham marylynn_ostrowskiThe American Heart Association, the largest voluntary health organization fighting heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases, announces that Aetna Foundation’s Dr. Garth Graham and Dr. MaryLynn Ostrowski will chair the 2016 Hartford Heart Walk.  The annual fundraising and awareness event will take place on Saturday, October 15, 2016 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

Dr. Garth Graham, President of the Aetna Foundation, and Dr. MaryLynn Ostrowski, Aetna Foundation Executive Director, are leading the organizational and recruitment efforts for the Hartford area.  The co-chairs will call on thousands of area volunteers, survivors, walkers, and business leaders to step up to reduce disability and death from cardiovascular disease and stroke, the leading cause of death in the United States. A cardiologist and well-known researcher on health disparities, Dr. Graham is responsible for the Aetna Foundation’s philanthropic work, including its grant-making strategies to improve the health of people from underserved communities and increase their access to high-quality health care. Dr. Ostrowski is responsible for operations of the regional, national, and international programs.

The Hartford Heart Walk will attempt to raise more than $250,000 to fund research and education to fight heart disease and stroke. Each day, nearly 2,400 Americans die from a cardiovascular disease. That’s an average of one death every 37 seconds. A leading risk factor for heart attack and stroke is lack of physical activity. Research has found that individuals may gain two hours of life expectancy for every one hour of regular, vigorous exercise they do.

To learn more about the 2016 Hartford Heart Walk, or to find out more about sponsorship opportunities, please call American Heart Association Development Director, Wendy Schrlau at 203-303-3317 or go to www.hartfordheartwalk.org.

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