Get moving for a good cause this Thanksgiving with Banner Health & Weld Legacy Foundation
GREELEY, Colo. (Nov. 21, 2024) – Those looking to start Thanksgiving with a fun and active tradition while raising money to provide access to health care can attend the 27th annual Turkey Trot Thanksgiving Race in Greeley. The Banner Health CardioVascular Institute of North Colorado and the Weld Legacy Foundation host this highly attended event annually. This year, the event will take place on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, starting at 9 a.m. at Banner North Colorado Medical Center (NCMC) located at 1801 16th Street. The event offers two different distances, a 5K Turkey Trot (3.1 miles) and a 2K Gobbler Trek Fun Run/Walk (1.2 miles) – both on a scenic USA Track & Field (USATF)-certified course.
The Weld Legacy Foundation uses proceeds from the Turkey Trot to provide individual grants for patients of the cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs who would otherwise not be able to participate. Last year, the Turkey Trot had over 2,700 participants and raised over $43,000 to support individuals who needed assistance paying for cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. Rehabilitation offered by the CardioVascular Institute of North Colorado helps patients return to their usual activities and life demands after a cardiac or pulmonary event.
Each year, the event selects an honorary chairperson who showcases the incredible impact that cardiac and pulmonary rehab can make. This year, the chairperson is Andi Arizmendi, a 57-year-old woman who suffered from spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) in July of 2023, a type of heart attack that can affect people who are healthy, active and have no family history of heart disease, like Arizmendi.
“When my symptoms started, having a heart attack was the last thing that I thought it could be,” Arizmendi said. “I learned that heart disease in women and men is very different. It is so important that women understand that and are proactive because it is the leading cause of death in women. Heart disease can affect women of any age. Also, a heart event for a woman can be hard to detect, so women may not seek treatment as quickly. The symptoms may seem minor and insignificant, such as a sore neck, nausea or feeling tired.”
Arizmendi’s story raises awareness of women and heart disease, which kills one in five women in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Awareness is critical because the CDC also reports that only half of U.S. women recognize that heart disease is their number one threat when it comes to longevity. The good news is only 12% of heart attacks are fatal, and women can experience a heart attack and fully recover, in part thanks to cardiac rehabilitation.
“While I was recovering in the hospital, a staff member stopped by my room to tell me about cardiac rehab,” Arizmendi said. “I said, ‘Sign me up!’ I was eager to get back to exercising and wanted to know how to do it safely. Cardiac rehab helps you get back to the lifestyle that you want to lead. The trainers are available to answer questions and help you set goals. My first goal was to get back to running. When I met that goal, my next goal was to run the Turkey Trot without stopping. I met that goal too when I ran the race in 2023.”
Interested attendees can register for the Turkey Trot online, early registration will be available until 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. Visit weldlegacy.org/turkey-trot-thanksgiving-race or go directly to secure.getmeregistered.com and search for “NCMC Turkey Trot.” The cost is $30 per adult and $20 per youth (ages 17 and under). You can also register in person before the event at Altitude Running (located at 3620 W. 10th Street in Greeley) or NCMC, but days and times are limited, Visit the event website for more details.
Participants can also register on the day of the event at NCMC. However, race-day registrants will not be eligible for awards and will not be listed in age/gender categories. Day-of registration will be available on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. The cost will be $35 per adult and $25 per youth, participants can pay with cash, check and credit card.
For more information, visit weldlegacy.org/turkey-trot-thanksgiving-race.
About Banner North Colorado Medical Center
Banner North Colorado Medical Center is a fully accredited, private, nonprofit facility licensed in Greeley, Colorado owned by Banner Health, a nonprofit health care system with 33 hospitals in six states. It serves as a regional medical center offering a comprehensive scope of community-based and specialty health care services for an area including southern Wyoming, western Nebraska, western Kansas and northeastern Colorado. It offers Emergency care, cancer care, heart care, orthopedics, inpatient and outpatient surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics, rehabilitation, intensive care, lab and medical imaging and medical air transport. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/ncmc.
