Chicanos Por La Causa hosts 2nd Annual Heart Walk
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Chicanos Por la Causa hosted the 2nd Annual Heart Walk at Riverside Park. The event is in collaboration with the Phoenix branch of the American Heart Association.
This is the second time Yuma hosted a heart walk as Phoenix could not host one due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the Phoenix branch visited the Yuma area Saturday to make a choice: Let Yuma continue hosting more heart walks or bring the heart walks back to Phoenix.
"They do it in Phoenix because it's a bigger city, more population. They're coming over here to observe, to see if they can continue in supporting anymore of our organizations. We can come together and continue bringing this walk-a-thon more often," said Patricia Miranda, Education Specialist for Chicanos Por La Causa.
Other organizations sponsoring the event includes Yuma International Airport, Starbucks, Living Easy Lifestyles, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Very personal
For those who participated and donated to the heart walk gets their name in a drawing for prizes like an iPad and a Bluetooth speaker.
However, this heart walk event is very personal for two heart attack survivors. Miranda's husband, Lawrence, and their friend, Raul Rodriguez.
“It’s important to bring awareness to people and to take care of your heart. You only have one, and you’ll never know what’s going to happen. Do the best you can. Nobody knows what’s going to happen in life. But hopefully, you’ll take care of it," Lawrence spoke.
Fortunately, Lawrence has high hopes for his and Rodriguez's respective futures saying, “We’ve been able to survive many years now. Hopefully, God willing, we’ll have many years."
At the same time, Miranda hopes that the Phoenix branch considers keeping the heart walk in Yuma adding, "We can come together and continue bringing this walk-a-thon more often."
