#Jamaica, September 30, 2017 – Kingston – The Heart Foundation of Jamaica launched its annual PROVEN Run for Your Heart on September 27 as part of efforts to promote heart health.   The lapathon and fun day event will be staged at Stadium East in Kingston on November 26 from at 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.    Activities include running, walking, aerobics sessions, rock wall climbing, football and netball as well as demonstrations by the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

Now in its 38^th year, Run for Your Heart aims to raise funds to maintain its subsidised heart healthcare services.    Proceeds from the event are also used to educate primary and secondary students on healthy lifestyle choices.   The event is geared towards all members of the public, including primary, secondary and tertiary students, companies and sport clubs.

Speaking with JIS News at the launch of the event at Emancipation Park in Kingston, Allie McNab, Special Advisor to the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, said the Government fully endorses the initiative.

“Healthy lifestyle is important right across the board. The Ministries of Culture and Health fully endorse this initiative.   [A] healthy lifestyle extends your life and gives you a good quality of life.   We want persons to take up the challenge of living a healthier life in terms of diet and exercise and, hopefully, this will combat some of the illnesses common in society,” he said.

For her part, Executive Director of the Heart Foundation of Jamaica, Deborah Chen, said that the event is an important tool in the fight against cardiovascular disease, adding that 25 per cent of the population suffer from high blood pressure with another 33 per cent being pre-hypertensive.

“Exercise is one of the activities that we can use to try and prevent ourselves from becoming overweight, along with healthy eating.   Healthy eating means avoiding foods with too much salt, sugar and trans fats.   What we are trying to do at this event is to encourage persons to start or continue a healthy lifestyle,” she said.

Interested persons can register for the event by contacting the Heart Foundation of Jamaica at 906-9407 or email 5krace@heartfoundationja.org.