Raise awareness for the importance of dog adoption to save life (dog) & limb (human).

SAN RAFAEL, CA, UNITED STATES, August 31, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Way To My Heart launches a first-of-its-kind walking challenge called, “PAWS for PAD,” a three-day event (September 16-18, 2022) designed to raise awareness for the nearly four million unadopted dogs in the world that could help to prevent and slow the progression of a prevalent circulation issue known as Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D.), if only they could find a new walking companion. Three-in-five heart attack sufferers (Heart Disease, #1 killer), one-in-five over age 60 have P.A.D. and one-in-three diabetics over age 50 have P.A.D. but most don’t know it until it reaches advanced stages and heart attack, stroke, and/or amputation are imminent because physicians misdiagnose symptoms of leg pain, leg cramps, and neuropathy.

Walking is the best medicine for the prevention of and slowing the progression of P.A.D. Walking helps people with P.A.D. to wake up their collateral network of arteries, which lay dormant unless needed, to help re-route blood flow around any significant artery blockage so that oxygen and other nutrients can continue to nourish muscles, tissue, and nerves in the lower extremities. The more someone walks, the better their circulation. Walking a dog further improves cardiovascular health. In fact, a study published in the journal BMC Public Health in 2017, found that dog owners on average walked 22 minutes more per day compared to people who didn't own a dog. That’s why PAWS for PAD is a 3-day walking challenge, where participants take as many steps as they can to reach a cumulative goal of four million steps to raise awareness for the nearly four million dogs that go unadopted annually around the world that are ready to be limb-saving walking companions. Participants are encouraged to adopt a dog, volunteer to walk a dog in a shelter, walk their own dog or a friend’s dog, but to just get out and walk to prevent or slow the progression of P.A.D.

PAWS for PAD is a critical initiative to save life (that of the dog) and limb (of a human).

Participants can join the PAWS for PAD challenge as an individual or as a team. Prizes, including a manual treadmill, foot/hand cycle, PAWS for PAD swag, and gift cards donated by Petco, will be awarded for various contributions including most steps, most inspirational, most spirited, and most creative use of the hashtag #PAWSforPAD. Those sporting their PAWS for PAD swag available here at-cost thanks to Vascular Institute, increase their chance of earning prizes. Participants with P.A.D. can also apply for The Way To My Heart to cover adoption fees for their new walking companion as well as for a pet care starter pack. Those participating in the Society for Vascular Surgery's STEPtember month-long walking challenge are also eligible, with steps taken between September 16 – 18, also going toward the PAWS for PAD four million step goal. The timing of PAWS for PAD coincides with Peripheral Artery Disease Awareness Month, which during the month of September.

For more information on the PAWS for PAD challenge September 16-18, 2022, go to www.PAWSforPAD.org

About The Way To My Heart

The Way To My Heart, www.TheWayToMyHeart.org, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing education, advocacy, and support for more than 10,000 P.A.D. patients around the world. It's high-touch approach is successful in getting patients to the right physician and complying with lifestyle modifications to delay procedures and prolong procedure results. The Way To My Heart is on the front lines with physicians and at vascular conferences around the world to keep knowledge current in order to best help P.A.D. patients get timely, effective care. Its efforts are dramatically reducing healthcare costs by eliminating unnecessary amputation and improving patient outcomes.

Kym McNicholas
The Way To My Heart
+1 415-233-2730
kym@thewaytomyheart.org
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