County came through for Heart Association programs
The Middlesex County community deserves an immense thank you for its outstanding support at the American Heart Association's Start! Heart Walk, in which nearly 1,000 residents walked toward a heart-healthy life.

It was a personal honor to help host an event that raises awareness and funds to help battle our nation's No. 1 and No. 3 killers - heart disease and stroke - especially considering that 2008 marks my 24th year as a heart-disease survivor.

I knew that at the age of 23 I shouldn't be experiencing chest pain. After several tests, I found that I had an aneurysm that was ready to burst, and I was rushed to surgery for a mechanical aortic valve replacement in 1983.

I know that I am one of the lucky ones who were able to recognize symptoms and get medical attention in time to make a difference. However, too many Americans are not as lucky. In fact, heart disease and stroke claim an estimated 27,000 New Jersey lives each year. But Middlesex County made a commitment to help lower that number by raising a projected $125,000 to help fund research, community programs and education for the American Heart Association.

The Heart Walk is one aspect of a bigger American Heart Association movement known as Start! This movement is a national call to arms to change our culture to become more physically active by walking so we can all live longer, stronger lives. The idea of Start! is simple. Walk more. Eat well. Live longer. So, let's all get walking.

The success of the Start! Heart Walk would not have been possible without the support provided by volunteers, company teams and sponsors. I would like to recognize the special contributions by our national sponsors, Subway, Healthy Choice and AstraZeneca, as well as our local sponsors Johnson & Johnson, ITC, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Solaris Health System, Saint Peter's University Hospital, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 456, Duane Morris and CW11.

To learn more and join the American Heart Association's Start! movement, visit www.MyStartOnline.org.
Mindy Miller Metsch
Survivor Ambassador,
Co-Host
2008 American Heart
Association Start! Middlesex
County Heart Walk
Administrative Secretary
Center for Nursing
Practice
Robert Wood Johnson
University Hospital
New Brunswick