Health at heart of Naperville memorial 5K
The organizers of a Naperville 5K entering its 10th year think a lot about the heart.
It beats all day every day, in the background for most who are blessed with good health, but conditions that sometimes go undiagnosed can stop the rhythm and wreak havoc.
That's what happened to 17-year-old Kathryn Bender in November 2005, and her death is the reason for the 10th annual Kathryn Bender Memorial Foundation 5K walk/run at 9 a.m. Saturday.
The un-timed fitness event circles the track at Naperville North High School, where Kathryn was a student when she collapsed before a dance performance and died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest caused by a heart rhythm disorder called Long QT Syndrome. The condition hadn't been diagnosed.
Kathryn's older sister, Elizabeth Bender, said she learned after her sister's death that healthy, active teens still can be at risk for heart disorders. That's why the charity the Benders formed in Kathryn's honor raises money to buy portable electrocardiogram machines that conduct screenings for heart ailments.
Each year since the organization formed, the Kathryn Bender Memorial Foundation has purchased at least one ECG machine at prices between $8,000 and $16,000. The machines are used to test the hearts of high school students in the Naperville area.
The 5K run/walk and a dance showcase each spring are the major ways the foundation generates funds. Bender said she's grateful that turnout for the events seems to be on the rise, despite the lengthening time since her sister's untimely passing.
"Were getting to 10 years now where people never knew my sister. They never knew Kathryn, but they know from word-of-mouth and the cause and what the organization does," Bender said. "So it is awesome that people still come out for the events."
Registration for the walk/run begins at 8:30 a.m. and costs $25 for an individual or $80 for a family, no matter the number of members.
Bender encourages anyone with kids to support the cause, since a heart screening could uncover a hidden condition and save a child's life.
"The money goes directly back into the community," she said. "And it impacts the kids in the high schools."
If you go
What: 10th annual Kathryn Bender Memorial Foundation 5K walk/run
When: 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20; registration begins at 8:30 a.m.
Where: Naperville North High School track, 899 Mill St.
Who: Benefits the Kathryn Bender Memorial Foundation, which raises money for electrocardiogram machines to test high school students for heart conditions
Cost: $25 per person or $80 per family
Info: kbmf.net