Your shoes are made for walking, and if the Heart Institute has anything to do with it, that’s just what they’ll do.

The Brock University Heart Institute is inviting all members of the Niagara community to the fourth annual Walk of Life on Sunday, May 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon.

The event is a 2, 4 or 6 kilometre run or walk held at the Glenridge Quarry as part of a national initiative to spread awareness and provide funding for community-based cardiac rehabilitation programs like the Brock Heart Institute.

“The value of a not-for profit organization like the Heart Institute usually isn’t realized until a loved one, relative or friend has a heart attack or is diagnosed with heart disease,” says Deborah O’Leary, director of the Heart Institute.

“The institute is more than a rehabilitation program, it is also a resource for the community to learn about how they can avoid heart disease and live a healthier lifestyle.”

More than 4,900 cardiac events require hospitalization each year. That is more than 13 cardiac events each day. And as a result, heart disease accounts for more deaths in the Niagara region than any other disease.

“We provide a vital service to the community,” says O’Leary. “A service that is often overlooked until it becomes necessary.”

“Our participants are happier and healthier than when they first started, and the Walk of Life is a way that the community can really provide us with the resources we need to give back through our various programs.”

All proceeds raised from the Walk of Life event will go back into the program to help purchase equipment, provide for patient education and allow for other essential materials and services.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three individual fundraisers. Prizes include a romantic getaway for two, a Niagara adventure package and a Niagara golf excursion. Individual incentive prizes will also be awarded to participants who raise more than $250.

For more information about the 2012 Walk of Life and to register, click here.