Annual walk benefits heart failure patients

The yearly Heart & Sole Walk was established in 2003 by Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and the family of Mary Anne Ahearn, a 1990 heart transplant recipient.

What's so great about the Garden State to you? Let us know by using the form at the end of this report.

Ahearn lived almost 12 years after the transplant before succumbing to an unrelated illness.

"Her family wanted to join with the team here at Newark Beth to do something in her memory and to kind of pay it forward," said Beth Tepper, NBIMC Assistant Vice President, Development.

It was originally called Ma's Walk before the name was eventually changed to Heart & Sole. The 4K raises money to support patients' programs and services at Newark Beth Israel.

The medical center boasts one of the top of heart failure treatment and transplant programs in the country, and is the largest adult heart transplant center on the East Coast. In fact, they've performed more than 850 heart transplant surgeries since 1989.

This year's Heart & Sole Walk takes place on Sunday, September 28 at Verona Park in Verona.  It's a great day of fun with entertainment, food and prizes in a beautiful location.  Registration is at 10 a.m. while the walk gets underway at 11 a.m.

Tepper is hopeful they can build on the success of the 2013 event.

"We had about 500 people and we raised close to $100,000, which was wonderful," she said. "The money is used to do things that will support pre- and post-transplant care and education."

Last year also featured the largest number of heart transplant recipients as 50 turned out with their families and friends.

This year's event will be a special one for a Toms River woman. Sam Denti, 29, celebrates her one year 'heartiversary' during the Heart & Sole Walk. She was a transplant recipient on September 28, 2013.

"I can not think of a better way to celebrate the day than to give back to the very same hospital that saved my life a year ago," she said.

Organizers are asking adult walk participants for a $25 minimum donation.

"The people that participate in this walk are committed to supporting the health and quality-of-life for heart failure and transplant patients," Tepper said. "The goal is always to support the patients and the program to be able to continue to provide the best care, the best services."

Learn more about the event and the initiative by visiting the Newark Beth Foundation website.