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.

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