WHEELING — For WVU Medicine cardiologist Dr. Michael Campsey, it’s not just his expertise that makes the annual American Heart Association Ohio Valley Heart Walk so important to him. It’s also his experience.

Campsey, this year’s walk chairman, is also a stroke survivor. When he suffered his stroke in November 2021, he lost the complete use of his right side and his ability to speak. He recovered quickly, but following that ordeal, he experienced an enlightenment, and realized he should throw his support behind the AHA and the Heart Walk.

Hundreds joined him Thursday night at Wheeling Park to honor and celebrate heart disease and stroke survivors and their families. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 killers of Americans, respectively. The AHA is celebrating its 100th year, and it’s still going strong in raising awareness and educating others about heart disease and stroke.

“It’s a good thing, what they’re doing,” Campsey said. “The fact that people come out for it is fantastic for everybody and the fact we have stroke survivors and heart attack survivors here, it just really hits home.”

Thursday’s event was more than just a walk around Wheeling Park. Patrons enjoyed music and dancing, food trucks and a “Pup-arazzi” pet parade. Heart disease and stroke survivors kicked off the walk, and they were celebrated with confetti cannons that showered them as they started along the path.

The walk also honored the top corporations, teams and individual walkers who raised money for the event. The top corporations were WVU Medicine, D&D Fast Foods and Regional Cardiac Monitoring. The top teams were D&D Pacers, Left Bundle Branches and SA Nodes. The top three individuals, who raised more than $3,100 between them, were Tina Williams, Nicole Michaux and Campsey.

Lauren Thomas, Development Director for the American Heart Association, said this event is especially meaningful to her, too. Both sides of her family have suffered through heart disease and stroke, which makes her work even harder to make sure events like Thursday’s are a success.

The American Heart Association not only wants to help others battle through those heart conditions, but make sure survivors know there are people who always are in their corner.

“It’s so much about being a community event,” she said. “Survivors can sometimes feel very isolated and very alone. A lot of the time, other survivors don’t know other survivors. So being able to come to an event like this and know that they’re loved and that they’re not alone, I think that speaks volumes. The camaraderie means a lot.”