By: Jade Murphy

About six years ago, the American Heart Association (AHA) reached out to Delaware State University to help raise money and awareness for heart disease by joining the Southern Delaware Heart Walk held in Dover.

Marianne Carter, the director of Health Promotions, has had the opportunity to coordinate this walk for the past five years.

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death,” stated Carter. “It’s important that we keep trying to educated people.

DSU is just one of the teams attending the Heart Walk on October 22. Other companies, such as Bay Health, will walk to raise funds and awareness of heart disease. The walk will be held at the Delaware Tech campus in Dover. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., with the 3.1 mile walk starting at 9 a.m.

Money can be raised through the support of friends and family. Walkers who donate $10 or more will receive a DSU T-shirt.

Carter’s goal for the American Heart Walk is to raise at least $2,000, which was the highest amount raised by DSU thus far.

The event will feature health screenings, educational material and blood pressure checks along with music for entertainment.

“What motivates me on this campus is that African Americans are much more likely to have heart disease and they aren’t sure why. We, as an HBCU, should be very supportive of the American Heart Association because they are working to close that disparity,” said Carter. ‘We all have a heart so let’s show the community that Delaware State University has heart.”

Students and staff should be involved with this event because heart disease is the leading cause of death in this country, and we have to try and turn that around.

For more information contact Marianne Carter at ext. 7309 or email at mcarter@desu.edu.

(Photo: Jade Murphy)