To mark World Heart Day on Saturday, Sept. 29, Hope Township Mayor Timothy McDonough joinedl the U.S. Surgeon General and other mayors from across the nation for a special event to battle heart disease – the leading killer of Americans.

The United States Conference of Mayors is organized a special “Move with the Mayor” walk in Columbia, S.C. The goal: get Americans to take steps now to fight heart disease and live longer, healthier lives.

“Heart Disease kills far too many of our citizens every year,” said Mayor McDonough. “It’s something I feel very strongly about. We need to raise awareness about this and taking part in this national event is important to me.”

The mayor added, “One of the easiest ways to fight heart disease is to take a walk every day.  Our Township is lucky to have Swayze Mill Park which has a walking path, basketball court, fields and many other activities to help people keep fit. I encourage all of our residents to call me anytime to go for a walk and discuss Hope Township events.”

The annual walk took place as part of the United States Conference of Mayors Leadership Meeting. Mayor McDonough was joined at the South Carolina event by U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams and more than four dozen other mayors. For the event, they walked instead of driving between meeting locations – and encouraged others to start walking more, too.

The Move with the Mayor event is part of a nationwide campaign, led by the National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention, to help Americans live longer and feel better.

“Too many of us can’t do the things we enjoy most because of health limitations,” said John Clymer, executive director of the National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention. “And it will only get worse if we don’t do something for ourselves.”

Cardiovascular diseases kill about 800,000 Americans every year. That’s more deaths than from all types of cancer combined.

“What makes these deaths especially devastating is that heart disease is preventable for most people,” Clymer said. “That’s why we’re so grateful for the leadership of the United States Conference of Mayors and Surgeon General Adams in helping our nation’s citizens get on the road to better health.”

The good news, Clymer said, is that getting healthier can start with a simple step: Start walking. Research shows walking just 30 minutes a day can significantly lower the risk of heart disease.

Photo, left to right US Surgeon General Jerome Adams, Hope Township Mayor Timothy McDonough,  Columbia SC Mayor and US Conference of Mayors President Steve Benjamin, and Commissioner Of Hospitals John Singledon all participated in the recent Move with the Mayor walk through the streets of Columbia South Carolina.