For the last five years, Allen County Regional Hospital staff members have participated in a local version of the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk to raise money and awareness of heart disease. This year, they’re doing it for a little girl.
Kinsley Diane Splechter is the baby daughter of Michael and Erin Splechter, one of the daytime RN house supervisors. Kinsley was only nine months old when she had surgery to repair a heart defect. The surgery saved her life and today she is a healthy 13-month-old girl.
Patty McGuffin, chief nursing officer at the hospital, said so far the team has raised almost $800 for the walk on Saturday in Kinsley’s honor. In addition, HCA Midwest Health System has raised more than $72,000. The Allen County team is HCA’s number one team, and has consistently been in the top five fundraisers for the last five years, according to McGuffin. All told, more than $626,000 in donations has been pledged to the AHA for the Heart Walk.
“We’re hoping that those numbers increase, but it’s pretty awesome to be a part of that,” McGuffin said.
All proceeds go to the American Heart Association for programs that treat and prevent heart disease and strokes.
The actual Heart Walk takes place in Kansas City on Saturday, but the local team has been doing their own simulation of it for the last five years to save them a long drive. The money they raise still goes to the AHA and their team is counted on the Kansas City Heart Walk’s website.
In the past, the team would walk from the hospital to the square, around it and back again. This year, because they are located in the new hospital, they will start at Cofachique Park across from the National Guard Armory, walk north on State Street to Oregon Road, then east on Oregon until they reach Kentucky Street and the hospital.
More information about the Heart Walk is available online at http://heartwalk.kintera.org/faf/home/
To find out how to donate, click the “find a team” link on the left and search for Allen County.
