2026 American Heart Association Heart Walk

[Music playing]

[Text on screen: John J. Warner, MD
CEO, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Executive Vice President at Ohio State]

John J. Warner, MD:
It's really great to be out here at the Heart Walk, seeing so many Buckeyes support this important walk for our mission. We have about 5,000 Buckeyes walking this year, a new record for us.

[Text on screen: Michael Martin, PT, MPT
Associate Executive Director, Heart and Vascular Center
Ohio State Wexner Medical Center]

Michael Martin, PT, MPT:
So proud to be a part of Team Ohio State. Really am proud of the power of the Buckeye spirit. There is nothing that we can't accomplish when Buckeyes put their minds together.

[Text on screen: Ernest Mazzaferri, Jr., MD
Interim Co-Director, Heart and Vascular Center
Charles A. Bush M.D. Professorship in Cardiovascular Medicine]

Ernest Mazzaferri, Jr., MD:
I love Ohio State because of the people and the engagement that the people have in making this a healthier place.

[Text on screen: Richard Gumina, MD, PhD
Director, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
The James W. Overstreet Chair in Cardiology]

Richard Gumina, MD, PhD:
It's the people. It's always about the people, the people that we serve, our patients, and the people that we work with.

[Text on screen: Bryan Whitson, MD, PhD
Interim Co-Director, Heart and Vascular Center
Jewel and Frank Benson Family Research Professorship]

Bryan Whitson, MD, PhD:
Heart health awareness is so important because it is something that we all have to be cognizant of.

[Text on screen: Ashish Panchal, MD
Medical Director, Center for Emergency Services
Ohio State Wexner Medical Center]

Ashish Panchal, MD:
Bystander CPR allows your hands to be their heart. So every compression you do is saving their lives and bringing them back neurologically intact to their families.

[Text on screen: Virginia Zimovan
Heart Patient
Ohio State Wexner Medical Center]

Virginia Zimovan:
I'm really excited to be here today and celebrating with all these other survivors and encouraging others and especially increasing women's heart health.

[Text on screen: Curt Wallis
Heart Patient
Ohio State Wexner Medical Center]

Curt Wallis:
This heart walk was an inspiration for me to see all the survivors and hear the stories. I just stood over at one of the tents, and just story after story, it really gave me hope.

John J. Warner, MD:
The money raised goes to support research, much of which is conducted at Ohio State, and also all the community health programs that we're involved in.

[Text on screen: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
For more information, visit: wexnermedical.osu.edu/heart]

[Music fades]