American Heart Association Heart Walk Indianapolis 2013

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User: sburris

Time: 08-26-2013 14:16 Product: INIBrd PubDate: 08-28-2013

Zone: Special

Edition: 1 Page: TOADVFOLIO-Cov Color: C K Y M

A special advertising section to The Indianapolis Star ● Wednesday, Aug.28, 2013

2013 Indianapolis Heart Walk Saturday, Sept. 14 8:00 a.m. White River State Park’s Celebration Plaza

www.indyheartwalk.org

Heart Walk chairman compelled by daughter’s health crisis

ary Hentschel, president of KeyBank’s Indiana district, has a heartfelt reason for supporting the 2013 Indianapolis Heart Walk as the event chair. His life has been impacted by the health crises of his daughter, Emily, whose once-tiny heart has been mended through lifesaving surgeries.

Early scare

“Emily is a healthy, active high school freshman,” Hentschel said. “But shortly after birth, we discovered that she essentially had two large holes in her heart.” The holes surprised everyone. Emily’s birth had been unremarkable, and her three older siblings exhibited no health problems in infancy or childhood. The family had noticed only one troubling sign. “Emily struggled to keep her food down in the first two weeks,” her father said. “Her pediatrician examined her and heard a heart murmur, which can point to heart trouble. He referred us to a pediatric cardiologist, who diagnosed some smaller holes and two large holes.” At just three weeks old, Emily was admitted to Riley Hospital for Children for a procedure that bought the family some time. “The doctor wrapped a metal band around part of her heart to keep her blood from flowing back out,” Hentschel said. “That surgery accomplished its goal of being a temporary measure.” As his daughter grew older and stronger, specialists were called in to repair the holes.

A mini heart lesson

It’s not unusual for babies to be born with tiny holes in their hearts. Pediatricians may hear heart murmurs in young patients and monitor the condition closely. Sometimes, small holes close on their own with no lasting effects. When major defects are present, specialists perform surgery. The human heart has two pumping chambers, called ventricles, which are divided by a wall. In Emily’s situation, the wall between the two chambers had an opening — a condition called a ventricular septal defect. The two filling chambers of the heart — the atria — likewise are divided by a shared wall. For Emily, a hole between the atria allowed one side of her heart to overfill with blood. This is deemed an atrial septal defect. Without surgical intervention,

Emily’s prognosis would have been bleak. At age two, therefore, she was readmitted to Riley Hospital to undergo open-heart surgery. “The surgeon literally wove fabric into Emily’s heart to close those two holes,” Hentschel said. “It’s amazing how far our technology has come. In Emily’s case, the assumption is that if she had been born 25 years earlier, she would not have lived.” Today Emily visits her cardiologist annually for checkups. She enjoys good health and has no physical limitations.

When communities come together

PHOTO: MARC LEBRYK

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By Karen Murray For Custom Publications

Gary, Emily and Pam Hentschel

Hentschel has a history of supporting the American Heart Association in its mission to promote healthier lives free from cardiovascular disease. In the past, he captained KeyBank’s local Heart Walk team. As this year’s event chairman, he is reaching out to organizations and individuals, inspiring them to donate to and participate in Heart Walk events. “I’ve found that the great majority of companies allow and encourage their employees to use some of their time to support a great nonprofit event like the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk,” he said. Lisa Van Tassel, director of the Indianapolis Heart Walk, said Hentschel’s drive and passion will serve two important purposes: It will ensure the event’s success and increase awareness of heart health locally. “The American Heart Association recruits well-connected members of the community, like Gary Hentschel, to help get new companies involved with the Heart Walk,” Van Tassel said. “We know that we can get heart health information to people at their workplaces, where they spend the majority of their time.” ●

Rise and shine for heart health The 2013 Indianapolis Heart Walk begins at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, in White River State Park’s Celebration Plaza downtown. The event opens at 8 a.m. and includes a 5K run, a 1-mile walk and a 3-mile walk. Participants can register for free at indyheartwalk.org and are encouraged to use the website’s tools to raise money in support of the American Heart Association.

Taming a killer

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. today. The American Heart Association estimates that a third of the nation’s adults are affected by cardiovascular disease. The organization works from coast to coast throughout the year to raise awareness of the warning signs and encourage heart-healthy habits. “Prevention is our message,” said

Lisa Van Tassel, Indianapolis Heart Walk director. She and her colleagues strive to boost involvement in events like Van Tassel Heart Walk, where participants pledge to make healthier choices with their hearts in mind. “Each year, our goal is always to gain more participants, who learn how to improve their heart health,” Van Tassel said. Last year’s Indianapolis Heart Walk broke previous records for the number of participants and volunteers, with about 10,000 people joining in all. The fundraising total increased about 15 percent from 2011 to 2012, too.


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