Run For Your Heart - Foundation to host 5K in February

The Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ) will take to the streets of Kingston in three months to host the 2020 edition of the ‘Run For Your Heart 5K’.

Under the theme, ‘Go Red! Be a Heart Hero!’, the Foundation aims to raise much-needed funds for the organisation’s outreach programmes.

“The Run For Your Heart 5k is aimed at educating Jamaicans about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and raising much-needed funds. We want Jamaicans to become ‘heart heroes’. This year, we are inspiring Jamaicans to be heart heroes … by making, and keeping, a promise to look after their, their relatives’ and their friends’ hearts,” said Karen Anderson, senior manager for marketing and fund development at Heart Foundation.

Slated for February 2, 2020, at Emancipation Park, the HFJ, in partnership with Running Events Limited, will kick-start the happenings for Heart Month, come 2020.

“The World Health Organization statistics state that heart disease is the leading cause of death globally and as such, the foundation is committed to reducing the mortality rate from heart disease in Jamaica by at least 25 per cent by 2025,” Anderson stated.

Heart disease remains the number one killer in Jamaica and the world, although 80 per cent of premature heart attacks and strokes are preventable. Healthy diet, regular physical activity, and not using tobacco products are some of the keys to prevention. Checking and controlling risk factors for heart disease and stroke, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar or diabetes, is also very important.

The registration period will be open to participants from October 21 until January 24, 2020. There is an early-bird special which runs from October 21, 2019, to December 16, 2019.