Written By Brennan Meagher
The American Heart Association urges Augustans vote on Tuesday
If you asked Ellen King when her journey with heart disease began, she will most likely tell you, November 2007, the date of her first open heart surgery. The truth, though, is much more complicated and goes back more than 30 years to a hypertension diagnosis.
“I started on antihypertensive medication at the age of 29,” she said. “However, when I look at my family history, it really started even earlier. My family tree is riddled with both immediate and extended family that were diagnosed with hypertension, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
King is the only survivor in her immediate family.
“Volunteering is my way of keeping all those I have lost close to my heart,” King said. “My desire is to make a difference, and this is a continuation of my heart journey. My motto is, ‘if I can help someone along life’s say, my living will not be in vain.’”
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This desire is why King volunteers with the American Heart Association and is eager to work with the Association’s advocacy team to encourage support of the SPLOST 8 campaign.
Overall health and risk for heart disease is directly correlated with daily activity. Studies have shown that 30 minutes of physical activity each day helps reduce the risk of heart disease and supports weight loss – walking and bike riding are excellent ways to do this and were King’s main activities during rehabilitation after open-heart surgery.
Fortunately, King was comfortable walking in her neighborhood. Some of the neighborhoods in Augusta are not safe, though. This is a problem because people who live in neighborhoods with great bike and pedestrian features are involved in far fewer traffic crashes than those who do not.
“If there were more safe areas for people to walk or bike, then people would be more likely to become physically active,” King said. “This may encourage more to walk or bike-ride as their main mode of transportation.”
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Walking and biking are crucially important to how we function as a city. Many low-income communities and communities of color do not currently, and never have had, these crucial features. Unfortunately, many of these communities don’t have any transportation options at all, and often experience higher rates of diabetes and heart disease.
Augusta must make these communities a priority now – and always. Any future bike and pedestrian funding project must also be focused on equity, making sure the positive benefits of activity, health, and safety are shared by all Augustans.
As a community, we can work together to demonstrate the need for increased bike and pedestrian funding in Augusta. Doing so will ensure our community does not have to go without being safe and healthy.
King is encouraging Augustans to join her at the voting booth on Tuesday and vote in support of the SPLOST Phase 8 campaign.
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