Virtual Heart Walk - message from Amanda Lessard

Hi Everyone! 
I hope you are all faring well during these unprecedented times! As you heard on Dr. Sawyer's message he sent out today, the American Heart Association Southern Maine Heart Walk on May 17th has gone virtual and we would still love to have everyone participate. As a reminder, MaineHealth is the lead sponsor for this years walk and Dr. Sawyer and MMC COO Jennifer McCarthy are the co-chairs for the event. I wanted to provide you with some details about the virtual event and how the American Heart Association is involved with COVID19 related research.

What does it mean for the Heart Walk to go virtual?
In order to control the spread of the virus, the CDC is recommending postponing events with crowds. As a result, we have strategies in place to allow participants to fully experience the spirit of Heart Walk and 5K wherever they are.  Activities will include a virtual leaderboard, suggested routes to run your own 5K, training tips, and healthy living resources to look after yourself and your loved ones while social distancing. With our virtual event, we hope you will still run your distance, post a selfie on social media, and invite friends and family to donate and support the mission of the American Heart Association. 

Upcoming City Wide Challenge event is TOMORROW!
See attachment for event information but in brief, the goal is to encourage 250 new walkers registered and $6,500 raised to then have a matching donation by Portland Builders. There are two Zoom events you can participate in - contact person listed on flyer.

What is AHA doing in relation to COVID19?
 i. Committing $2.5 million to fast-track research grants to better understand COVID-19 and its interaction with the body’s cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems.
ii. Helping to meet the needs of health care workers by launching a new course on Oxygenation and Ventilation for COVID-19 patients in response to the shortage of masks and ventilators, offering training on how to safely administer CPR, and adding a COVID-19 data registry through  Get with the Guidelines to better manage existing patients.
iii.  We are helping to accelerate antiviral drugs to combat COVID-19.  Through the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, AHA technologies are being used in the COVID-19 response which may lead to better diagnoses and treatments.
iv. Working with federal and state governments to ensure families have access to care, and that children who are at-risk of missing meals due to schools being closed are still looked after.
v.  Providing businesses with essential resources to help their employees stay healthy and active.

How can you help?
  • Join the walk
  • Be heart healthy and participate on the day of the event
  • Raise funds for the American Heart Association which has funded many research projects at our institute
  • Recruit family, friends and neighbors to join, raise funds, and participate in their neighbors on the day of the event (with safe social distancing)
Important Links
We have a few MMCRI teams, feel free to reach out to me (alessard@mmc.org) for specific team information or go to: https://www2.heart.org/site/TR/?fr_id=4963&pg=entry to make a MaineHealth team or join one of the teams or to donate to a MaineHealth team or team member.

As always please reach out to me if you have any questions and I look forward to having you join me for the Virtual Heart Walk on May 17th!

Best,
Amanda Lessard, Ph.D.
Research Fellow
Myocardial Biology & Heart Failure Laboratory

Comments

  1. Amanda LessardApril 28, 2020 at 12:00 PM

    I will mention that if you sign up for a MaineHealth team between now and Friday you are eligible to get a MaineHealth t-shirt to be shipped to your home so you can wear it walking around your neighborhood for the day of the event. The coach of the team you join can send you the information to place your t-shirt order but again you must join by this Friday! Let me know if you have questions (alessard@mmc.org)
    Best,
    Amanda Lessard

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Respiratory Viral Season: Fall 2023 Edition - Dr. Dora Anne Mills

  Dora Anne Mills, MD, MPH The View from Maine Sept 17, 2023 Respiratory Viral Season: Fall 2023 Edition   Below is an overview, recommendations, and common questions related to this year’s respiratory viral season. At the very end are links to references with more information, in order by topic as they appear below.   Last week, the US FDA and US CDC issued approvals and recommendations for the updated fall 2023 COVID-19 vaccine. Everyone 6 months of age and older is recommended to receive the updated COVID-19 vaccine as well as an annual influenza vaccine. Both vaccines are updated and formulated to protect against the strains that are circulating and/or predicted to circulate this fall and winter.   One of the main lessons we’ve learned from the pandemic has been the importance of taking some simple steps during respiratory viral season, which is the fall and winter, when we more commonly see influenza, RSV, and other respiratory viruses.   Although we don’t fully know if COVID-19
Read more

36 Best New Year's Traditions to Ring in 2024

Image
 from the Pioneer Woman 36 Best New Year's Traditions to Ring in 2024 Raise your glass to new beginnings! BY  REBECCA NORRIS Published: Dec 15, 2023 New Year's Eve  is a time to reflect on the past year, embrace the present, and look forward to the year ahead. Folks all over the world have New Year's traditions they enjoy each year alongside family and friends—whether it's watching the  New Year's Eve ball drop  in Times Square, coming up with  New Year's resolutions , or whipping up a traditional meal of  good luck foods . There are so many ways to celebrate, and many of them can even be done from the comfort of your couch. If you're not feeling up to attending or hosting a  New Year's Eve party , you could always take a cue from Ree and Ladd Drummond—one year, they ditched their fancy  New Year's Eve dinner  plans in lieu of staying home and watching movies and football. That doesn't sound like a bad way to spend an evening! For more great opti
Read more

New MHIR staff introduction - Melissa Sassman

Melissa is a Maine native and grew up in Saco. Though she has traveled and lived or spent considerable time in Kansas, Virginia, and Washington D.C., nothing compares to Maine. She completed both her undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Southern Maine. Her Master’s was completed under the guidance of Dr. Doug Currie who studies developmental neurobiology and the effects of various toxins and toxicants on cells of the nervous system. She taught at USM for 10 years before leaving academia to get back into the lab. She is very excited to be a part of Dr. Rosato’s Lab.  Melissa LOVES to eat, read, go for walks and hikes with her dogs, and do yoga. She is also licensed to sell real estate and is a certified yoga instructor!  
Read more