The Nashville Start! Heart Walk at Vanderbilt drew more than 12,000 people who walked to raise funds for the American Heart Association. (photo by Joe Howell)
Nearly 12,000 turn out for this year’s Heart Walk
Vanderbilt employees get ready to embark on the Nashville Start! Heart Walk on Saturday. (photo by Joe Howell)
Linda Rogers’ dog, Oreo, cools off after the walk. (photo by Joe Howell)
Organizers for the 2008 Nashville Start! Heart Walk couldn't have asked for better weather for the event that took place last Saturday.
Clear skies and cool temperatures prevailed as thousands of walkers took to the streets of the Vanderbilt campus to raise funds for the American Heart Association (AHA).
Although money continues to trickle in to the local AHA offices, administrators said that the Heart Walk drew nearly 12,000 people and raised about $1.1 million, about the same amount as last year.
Vanderbilt was the largest fundraising team in Middle Tennessee and probably among the top five in the nation, bringing in more than $305,000.
Heart transplant recipient Tony Singleton walked with members of the Vanderbilt Heart Lebanon team. Singleton received his new heart in 2000.
“Participating shows I'm getting back to a normal life. I feel the walk not only raises money for a great cause of fighting a bad and very common disease, but as a survivor, it makes me feel like I am alive and being a part of answering the call of help for those who have yet to be diagnosed,” Singleton said.
Vanderbilt was well represented with 193 team captains leading the way.
“This was Nashville's largest Heart Walk in terms of the number of participants,” said Kelley Tune, Heart Walk Vice President. “With our Start! movement, great weather and more people turning out the day of the event, this was the largest fundraising event we've had.”
With several large walks pending elsewhere in the nation and continuing through November, it is uncertain which walk will bring in the most money.
Nashville's annual walk to help in the fight against heart disease and stroke has consistently ranked among the top 20 walks nationwide.
“Vanderbilt's role in helping us organize this event was great,” Tune said. “Dr. Wright Pinson and Jeff Samz were great leaders for the Vanderbilt team. Sandee Tishler and Ed Higgins (Vanderbilt organizers) and their attention to logistics made the event what it was.”
The AHA funds $5.8 million in research projects at Vanderbilt.
“Vanderbilt can be proud of the role it played in ensuring that the Nashville Heart Walk was a big success,” said Doug Sawyer, M.D., Ph.D., interim director of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine.
“The money raised at the Heart Walk will directly benefit our research efforts.”