New app tracks steps for West Chicago's 'Move with the Mayor Challenge'
A new digital app created especially for West Chicago residents to track steps toward heart health, has been made possible through a generous donation of a local West Chicago business, Jacobs (formerly CH2M).
The app was created by a health-tech startup based in the Silicon Valley, HekaHealth, which worked with the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention and Healthy West Chicago to create a method that would be easy to use and allow the community to track its progress in the "Move with the Mayor Challenge" for the month of September, as well as through the coming year.
"Jacobs' financial support made this app possible," said Mayor Ruben Pineda. "Jacobs has been a great advocate for the health and sustainability of our community, and donated water bottle filling stations to all our elementary schools in the past. Now they are 'stepping up' again to provide a tool that will excite, motivate, and monitor walking in West Chicago. We are very grateful."
The City of West Chicago and Jacobs have worked together since 2008.
Jacobs operates and maintains the city's regional wastewater treatment plant. The plant treats on average 5 million gallons of wastewater per day. Over the past 3 years, Jacobs has worked hard to achieve 100 percent controllable compliance on their effluent stream to help protect and preserve the West Branch of the DuPage River.
Those who wish to download the free Heka Walk app, should use the app store specific to their individual device. Complete the in-app registration process using activation code "movechicago17".
Users may then pair the app with their choice of Activity Tracker, whether Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Watch or the activity trackers built into their iOS or Android smart devices, via Apple Health or Google Fit. A link to a Challenge FAQ page may be found at www.hekahealth.com/walkfaq or by email questions to info@hekahealth.com.
In partnership with the National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention and Healthy West Chicago, Mayor Ruben Pineda will host West Chicago's third annual Move with the Mayor Challenge.
Mayor Pineda will join local residents and schoolchildren on a 30-minute walk to fight the nation's leading cause of death - heart disease.
On Saturday, Sept. 8, it will begin and end at Currier Elementary School, 800 Garys Mill Road. An interactive map of this route may be found at westchicago.org under maps. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with the walk at 9 a.m.
On Sept. 15, it will be at Gary Elementary, 130 E. Forest Ave. and on Sept. 22, at Turner Elementary, 750 Ingalton Ave.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in our nation. Yet surveys show many people are unaware that heart disease kills more people than all types of cancer combined. "Too many people don't realize that heart disease is America's No. 1 cause of death," said John Clymer, Executive Director of the National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention. "It's a silent epidemic that is killing hundreds of thousands of Americans every year. But this doesn't have to happen. Deaths from heart disease are preventable. That's why we're trying to spread the word and get people moving."
Research has found walking as little as 30 minutes a day can significantly cut the risk of heart disease. The walk is part of a campaign developed by the City and the National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention to encourage residents to walk with the Mayor for 30 minutes every Saturday from now until World Heart Day, September 29, 2018.
For more information, visit westchicago.org/city-events/move-with-the-mayor/ for information on all of September's weekly walks.
About the National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention
The National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention brings together the most dynamic and diverse organizations in cardiovascular health, providing a forum and outlet for organizations to amplify their voices. Our members currently represent more than 80 national and international organizations from the public and private health care organizations, as well as faith, advocacy, academic, and policy settings. The National Forum is a tax-exempt, independent nonprofit, 501(c)3, voluntary health organization.