Kickstart Your Heart

TAO is excited to announce our leadership role in the American Heart Association’s 2023 Heart & Stroke Walk, where we are proud to participate in saving lives. We are joining forces with Heart Starters, a team founded by Brad Bigelow, the Founder and CEO of Acolyte Health, and two other early-stage companies.The American Heart Association's Heart Starters initiative aims to advance cardiovascular health for all and remove barriers to healthcare access and quality. The initiative was launched in 2022 in the Oregon/SW Washington region with three early-stage companies (Acolyte Health, DocVocate, and Nudj Health) and raised $29,909. The Heart Starters initiative aims to have ten companies raising $50,000 and 100 walkers collectively.

The initiative aims to create a heart and whole health awareness for organizational leaders to help employees focus on healthier choices, create connections with other organizations, and gain visibility and media coverage. Heart disease and stroke affect 1 in 3 adults, and in Oregon, 31% of adults live with hypertension, a leading cause of heart disease. In addition, tobacco use was the number one cause of preventable death in Oregon in 2020, and during the pandemic, one in four Oregonians reported being nutrition insecure. Shockingly, one in four high schoolers reported using e-cigarettes. American Heart Association has enrolled over 4,100 patients in Target: BP to combat uncontrolled hypertension, trained over 500 community navigators to screen for nutrition insecurity, and supported efforts to introduce and pass Tobacco Flavor Ban legislation in Washington and Multnomah Counties.

Heart disease and stroke continue to affect too many lives, and Heart Starters is committed to raising $50,000 this year to keep real hearts beating. We need your help to achieve our goal, and we are seeking 10 companies to join us and put our best foot forward. By participating in the Heart & Stroke Walk, we support active research, extend healthy life expectancy, address nutrition security, and manage hypertension and mental wellbeing in our most vulnerable populations. Along the way we will learn about the mission of the AHA and provide resources and tools to companies on Life’s Essential 8.The Heart & Stroke Walk experience is about getting more people moving across Oregon & SW Washington, all while raising funds to save lives!

This year’s walk is scheduled for:

‍Vancouver: Saturday, May 20, 2023
Portland: Saturday, June 3, 2023

‍The American Heart Association's Heart Starters initiative is an excellent opportunity to help advance cardiovascular health for all and remove barriers to healthcare access and quality. Join the initiative, create a team, and make a difference in the fight against heart disease and stroke. Join the TAO Team Here!