Participants in the Brock Heart Institute's 2010 Walk for Life

Niagara residents are invited to walk at Brock this weekend as part of a fundraiser for the Brock University Heart Institute.

The third annual Walk of Life will be Saturday, May 14, at the Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site in St. Catharines from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon.

The Brock Heart Institute is committed to cardiac rehabilitation and prevention in the Niagara region. The institute is a non-profit organization supported directly by proceeds from the Walk of Life.

Funds raised will help to purchase equipment, provide patient education and allow for other essential materials and services at the institute.

“There are more than 4,900 cardiac events every year in Niagara that require hospitalization,” said Deborah O’Leary, Heart Institute director. “Our institute provides a vital service for our region since heart disease accounts for more deaths of Niagara residents than any other disease.”

Statistics show that ischemic heart disease accounts for an average of three deaths a day in Niagara. And studies indicate that participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs can help reduce the risk of death from heart disease by 21 to 34 per cent.

The Heart Institute aims to promote and improve cardiovascular health in people who live in Niagara and have either been diagnosed with, or who are at high risk for, heart disease.

“By taking part in the Walk of Life, you can help to bring us two, four or six kilometres closer to servicing the heart health of our community,” O’Leary said.