The American Heart Association invites people from across York and Adams counties to fight heart disease and stroke by participating in the 2023 York Heart Walk and Adams County Heart Walk on Saturday, Sept. 9.

Both the York and Adams County Heart Walks will be held at new locations this year. The York event will take participants on a 1.5-mile walk through the York College campus. Festivities will begin at 8 a.m., and the walk will step off at 9 a.m. starting at Graham Field, 899 S. Richland Ave., York. The Adams County Heart Walk will feature a 1-mile walk through Gettysburg Recreation Park, 545 Long Lane, Gettysburg. Festivities will start at 12:30 p.m., and the walk will step off at 1:30 p.m.

The Heart Walk raises funds to support the mission of the American Heart Association and save lives from heart disease and stroke, the nation's No. 1 and No. 5 killers. It is also an opportunity for families, co-workers and communities to come together to participate in a heart-healthy activity while honoring those who have been affected by heart disease and stroke, including 43-year-old heart transplant survivor Asheley Walters of Dillsburg.

Walters learned at 11 years old that she had a genetic heart condition, which turned into heart failure. At a young age, she was battling persistent breathlessness, a declining quality of life and atrial fibrillation, which eventually led to her having a stroke when she was 30. By the time she was 38, her heart function was so compromised that her health care team determined that a heart transplant was her best chance at survival. She is now five years post-transplant, full of energy and ready to share her story to kick off the Heart Walks.

The York and Adams County Heart Walks are co-chaired by Brent Doores, vice president of finance at Family First Health, and Michael Cogliano Sr., president of WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital.

Doores joined Family First Health in April. He oversees all day-to-day financial operations and strategic fiscal initiatives for the organization. He previously served as CEO for Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of York and in leadership roles across a variety of service lines and specialties for 15 years at WellSpan Health, including urgent care, heart and vascular services, and revenue management.

Cogliano has served WellSpan Health for the past 25 years, 22 years of which have been at WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital. He began his career as a registered cardiovascular invasive specialist, giving him an appreciation for the impact of heart disease on individuals, families, and communities. Cogliano has volunteered for numerous organizations and community boards, including serving as past chair of the Adams County Economic Development Corporation. He also served as chair of the York and Adams County Heart Walks in 2022.

To learn more or sign up to participate, visit http://www.heart.org/yorkwalk. From there, participants can stay up to date by downloading the Heart Walk mobile app and encourage friends and family to join in via email or social media.

The funds raised from the Heart Walks go toward research, advocacy, CPR training and promoting better health in support of the association's 2024 Health Equity Impact Goal of reducing barriers to health care access and quality. Visit http://www.heart.org to learn more.