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As a mother of a two-year old, I know that memories are precious. I spend a lot of time behind the camera taking pictures so that my son can have a lasting impression of our time together. It is with that in mind that I am an advocate for the American Heart Association (AHA) and an involved member of Mayo Clinic’s Start! Heart Walk team.
Heart disease runs in my family. Both of my grandfathers died of heart-related illnesses, and my father has a pacemaker to keep him ticking. I know it’s likely that I’ll have a heart-related issue in my lifetime, so I try to focus on living well and prevention.
But now, as a mother, I want to do something that will make an impact on my son. Aidan is the light of my life, and I want to be able to love him, play with him and just be a part of his life for as long as possible. I also want him to know – even at the tender age of two – that having healthy habits is important and that fitness can be fun.
By participating in events like the heart association’s Start! Heart Walk, I am able to do that. I enjoy walking, can do it with my son at any age, and I gain the health benefits every time I step out. By volunteering as a part of Team Mayo Clinic, I help get the word out about heart disease and further the education and research efforts of the AHA.
This year, Mayo Clinic is the corporate sponsor of the Jacksonville, Fla., Heart Walk, which will be Sept. 25 at Metropolitan Park. Our goal is to get 550 walkers – colleagues, family, friends and patients. Perhaps you’ll consider joining Aidan and me as we build some heartening memories?
To learn more about heart disease visit www.mayoclinic.org/heart. To sign up as part of Mayo’s team, visit please click here and then select either a team or click the “Create New Team” link. Follow the prompts.
This article is written by Amy Lannen, a documents manager at Mayo Clinic's campus in Florida.
