We want to pump you up! Join the 2021 Dallas Heart Walk with UTSW

The American Heart Association (AHA) represents a population of people at significant risk for devastating outcomes if they contract COVID-19. Join UTSW virtually, on Saturday, Sept. 11, to support the AHA’s mission to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.

The walk – which started in Dallas in 1994 and remains the largest AHA walk in the country – raises money to assist heart disease and stroke patients, fund research at UTSW and at other leading research centers, and promote wellness initiatives. It also offers a way for loved ones to honor those who have succumbed to those diseases. The majority of the funds raised during the Dallas Heart Walk stay in North Texas.

As of this writing, UTSW has 46 teams and 368 individual walkers signed up!

How to participate

Register to get started. Then, on Saturday, Sept. 11, get moving! You can walk one to three miles in the comfort of your home or anywhere in your community. You can also bike, swim, dance, or color. Note: The WFAA broadcast of this year's Heart Walk will be delayed until Sept. 18 in remembrance of the 9/11 anniversary this Saturday.

Wait… color?

Yep. We’ve created two very cool coloring pages – one for adults, and another geared toward kids. Color them solo or with your family – just put your creative stamp on it. employeewellness.program@utsouthwestern.edu them in to Employee Wellness and we’ll pick our favorites to share in Today@UTSW.

Step it up

Once again, we’ve added the popular UTSW Steps Challenge – typically held in February during American Heart Month – to the September Heart Walk. This year, we want to reach 5 million steps. At the end of the day on Sept. 11, when you’ve done all your activities and collapse into that comfy couch, go to utswmed.org/steps and do your part to help us reach our goal.

Share your work with us (and the world)

Share your photo or coloring pages (or both!) with us employeewellness.program@utsouthwestern.edu (for a chance as some prizes!) or on social media:

  • With us at Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook using #UTSWHeart.
  • You can also share with the AHA on Instagram, using #dallasheartwalk, and visit the AHA Facebook page to see the event activities for the day.
  • To track your activity as part of the official AHA Move More Challenge, download the Heart Walk app from the Apple Store or Google Play. Check out this video on how to activate the Move More Tracker.

If you have any questions, employeewellness.program@utsouthwestern.edu Employee Wellness.