Photos: Fifth Annual Annie’s Pace Global Adventure For Heart Health Awareness Kicks Off
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Peterborough Blogs
Omemee Woman Hosting Fifth Annual Heart Health Awareness Campaign With Four-Day Spin-A-Thon and Walk-A-Thon
/Omemee’s Annie Smith is raising heart health awareness for a fifth straight year through Annie’s Pace Global Adventure (APGA) in a four-day event beginning this Friday.
File Photo.
Smith is hosting a walk-a-thon and spin-a-thon at All the Right Moves Fitness Studio in Omemee, encouraging those to ride a bike or walk with her — for as long as people wish — as she attempts to go 80-120 km on a treadmill during the four-day span from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. A barbecue fundraiser is also being held on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
APGA encourages participants to take control of their heart health by being active for one hour a day. Over the course of the four-day event, participants are invited to share online what activity they are doing that day to stay active and keep their hearts healthy.
“Your life is worth one hour a day,” said Smith.
The campaign has people participating all over the world in countries such as Hong Kong, Scotland, Greece, the USA, Switzerland, Australia and more.
“It’s about the world, it’s about creating the healthy habit,” said Smith.
The proceeds go towards the Test Your Limits (TYL) Initiative at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research at UHN in Toronto. The funds help in research for heart failure and transplantation.
The fundraiser’s goal is to raise $6,500 this year, trying to raise $25,000 over five years.
Smith is a Personal Trainer and group fitness instructor for 28 years. She was diagnosed with cardiac sarcoidosis, an invisible, rare, incurable and life-threatening disease, in 2016. Her physical capabilities have become limited ever since.
Her campaign encourages others to post their heart stories and/or weekend activities on Smith’s Facebook or Instagram page while tagging themselves during the event.
To join AGPA visit the Facebook group. To donate click here.
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Omemee Woman Hosts Fourth Annual Fundraising Event To Promote Heart Health
/Omemee woman Annie Smith is hosting her fourth annual Annie’s Pace Global Adventure (APGA) to raise money and awareness about heart health, during a four-day event.
APGA.mp4 from Erin Harris Photography on Vimeo.
Smith was diagnosed with cardiac sarcoidosis, an invisible, rare, incurable and life-threatening disease, in 2016.
“My message is from one of my main cardiologists, ‘your life is worth one hour a day’,” said Smith.
AGPA encourages participants to take control of their heart health by being active for one hour a day. Over the course of the four-day event participants are invited to share online what activity they’re doing that day to stay active and keep their hearts healthy.
Smith has people participating all over the world in Canada, Hong Kong and even Transylvania.
“People find reasons not to work out, we only have so many hours in a day and everyone is going through things but your heart needs it,” said Smith.
Smith says setting realistic and achievable goals are important to keep active.
“Don’t look at is an I have to, look at is an I get to. People need to embrace that there are people that can’t do that,” she said. “I’ve been limited to what I can do physically now because of my heart and that was an abrupt halt my life came to.”
AGPA not only encourages participants to keep active but it also encourages them to sign up for organ donation and to donate to the cause if they are able.
Funds raised through AGPA will go to the Test Your Limits Initiative at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. This initiative was started by Dr. Heather Ross, Head of the MSH/UHN Heart Failure Program.
Dr. Ross says she is inspired by her patients every day. Accompanied by doctors and transplant patients, the team has climbed in Nepal, trekked in Bhutan and skied to the North and South Poles while raising over $2 million for heart failure research, cardiac transplantation and heart health.
Smith did her four days of walking from Apr. 6 to 9, several weeks prior to the event since she had bilateral knee surgery on Apr. 25. Her walking was done before the scheduled dates to prevent post-surgery damage to her knees.
Smith plans to do her walk again after recovering from her having her knees repaired.
"I did the best with two knees that were really bad and two ankles that were really bad," said Smith. "I did it because I wanted to do Annie's pace, not just because I'm Annie but because I like to test my limits."
To join AGPA visit the Facebook group. To donate click here.
Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.
Omemee Woman Gives Open Invite for Heart Health Awareness Fundraiser With Physical Activities
/What started as a personal goal has developed into a worldwide movement and fundraiser for Annie Smith with the 3rd annual Annie's Pace Global Adventure (APGA) in a four-day event starting Friday.
Photo Courtesy of Annie Smith.
The event’s purpose is to raise heart health awareness, test people’s physical limits and promote activity with the motto, “Your heart is worth an hour a day.” Anyone is encouraged to do anything that gets them moving such as sports, walks or even as simple as gardening.
“Moving the body is number one,” said Smith.
Smith was diagnosed with cardiac sarcoidosis in 2016; an invisible, rare, incurable and life-threatening disease. Since the diagnosis, her physical capabilities have become limited.
Merchandise such as t-shirts and wristbands were made in past events. T-shirts have sold out but wristbands still remain available by contacting Smith. Photo Courtesy of Annie Smith.
