The American Heart Association is proud to have Thomas Wrightington serving as the 2016 Long Island Heart Walk “Red Cape” Ambassador. This year’s Long Island Heart Walk will be taking place on Sunday, September 18th at Jones Beach.
Thomas was in the third grade when he found out he had a congenital heart defect, specifically an aortic valve insufficiency and a PFO (hole in his heart). Thomas loves sports and loves playing them. He also wants to spread awareness and help the American Heart Association so kids like him can live stronger and healthier lives.
At the Heart Walk, survivors are celebrated. A “Red Cap” is a red baseball cap featuring the American Heart Association logo. “Red Caps” refer to survivors of heart attack, cardiac arrest or heart surgery who wear the red caps as a symbol of their survival while walking in the Heart Walk. “White Caps” will be distributed to stroke survivors the day of the walk. Pediatric cardiovascular disease survivors will receive red super hero capes to acknowledge their courage.
As Red Cape Ambassador for the Long Island Heart Walk, Thomas will help create awareness about the importance of survivors participating in the event and to create awareness that heart disease and stroke aren’t “just an older man’s diseases.”
Hundreds of survivors from across Long Island participate to show that heart disease and stroke can be beaten. The American Heart Association estimates there are more than 71 million Americans alive with one or more types of cardiovascular disease.
On Sunday, September 18, 2016, join our “Red Cape” Ambassador and thousands of other survivors, families and friends from all over Long Island at the Long Island Heart Walk at Jones Beach, Field 5.
The annual success of the Long Island Heart Walk is due in part to our national sponsor, Subway. Our event sponsor is Bethpage Federal Credit Union. Local sponsors include Chase, JP Morgan Chase, Voxx International, TD Bank, Winthrop University Hospital, Geico, Astoria Bank, Flushing Bank, Setton Farms, Deloitte, Cohn Resnick, Rivkin Radler, PSE&G, Brookhaven Memorial Hospital, Luxottica and Catholic Health Services. Local media sponsors are WBAB 102.3-FM, WBLI 106.1-FM and Connoisseur Media.
For more information about the Long Island Heart Walk taking place on Sunday, September 18th visit us at www.longislandheartwalk.org.
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