Steve Cullen Healthy Heart Run/Walk on Feb. 16 to Benefit Cardiac Research at the Medical College of Wisconsin

The 17th Annual Steve Cullen Healthy Heart Club Run & Walk will be held on Saturday, February 16 at 10 a.m. at Wil-O-Way Recreation Center, 10602 Underwood Parkway in Wauwatosa. The event supports heart research at the internationally recognized Cardiovascular Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin, in which more than 170 faculty physicians and research scientists study the causes, prevention and treatment of heart disease. Cullen Run/Walk proceeds have helped various research programs including studies to identify genetic risk factors of heart disease, to investigate the Female Athlete Triad and its link to heart disease, to learn more about the causes of hypertension, and to better understand the correlation between plaque buildup and coronary artery disease.

The Cullen Run/Walk is an 8-kilometer USA Track and Field (USATF) competitive run and a 2-mile fun run/walk along the scenic Underwood Parkway in Wauwatosa. Sponsored by the Cullen family and the Badgerland Striders, the event includes Cullen Family & Friends Chili, refreshments, food, exercise fitness consultants, an awards ceremony and live music for the entire family. Participants will also receive a Dry-Weave Tech running shirt.

The event is held in memory of Steve Cullen, a former Milwaukee alderman, who died in 1995 at age 40 of sudden cardiac arrhythmia. His father, at age 41, and two brothers, ages 53 and 51, also died of heart disease. The Cullen Run/Walk has grown in attendance by over 500% since its inception, encouraging heart healthy lifestyles for all participants, their families and friends. The event has raised more than $250,000 for cardiovascular research and awareness.

Register online, by mail or in person. Registration is $30 for individuals, $100 for families of four. Team registration is encouraged for companies, schools and organizations with five or more participants who compete for the “Biggest Heart” trophy (most dollars raised for heart research) or the “Fleetest Feet” trophies (fastest times for male, female and mixed teams).

For more information and to register for the event, go to www.badgerlandstriders.org.

Cullen Run/Walk Co-Founder and Chair is Gael Garbarino Cullen, a member of the Cardiovascular Center Advisory Board, who organizes the event in honor of her late husband, Steve Cullen. Honorary Co-Chairs include Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and WISN-TV’s Kathy Mykleby and Mike Gousha.