Community draws attention to issue of heart health

Heart disease affects the entire community, so it was fitting that local residents from all walks of life came out in force for Saturday's inaugural Maryville Heart Walk to benefit the American Heart Association.

Rita Miller of St. Francis Hospital & Health Services said that more than 200 people met outside Bearcat Arena at Northwest Missouri State University to take part in the event, many of them carrying red and while balloons and wearing bright red "Heart & Sole" T-shirts.

The walk was co-sponsored by the hospital and Northwest Missouri State University.

"I'm so overwhelmed by the turnout," Miller said. "It's amazing evidence of the prevalence of heart disease today."

The walk was dedicated to the memory of the late Scott Bostwick, who served as head coach of the Northwest Bearcats football team, and the late Dale Kisker, a mathematics teacher and assistant girls basketball coach at Maryville High School. Both men died of heart disease.

One of the participating teams in Saturday's walk consisted of a group of Maryville High School football players who dubbed themselves Team Bosker.

"We want to give awareness to how bad heart disease is," said team member Jacob Cacek.

The Jim and Shirley Sendgraff family were at the event because Jim is a survivor of congestive heart failure. He was participating in the walk to support everyone who has heart problems.

"Heart disease runs in our family," Shirley Sendgraff said, "so we’re trying to be healthy."