The College of Public Health and the Zeta Gamma chapter of Sigma Nu at Kent State will participate in the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk at the University of Akron on Saturday.

The walk will start at 10 a.m. at Akron’s Fieldhouse at 384 Carroll St. in Akron. Registration for Kent State’s College of Public Health team is open to the public.

The goal of the walk is to raise money for research for the American Heart Association, said Jeff Hallam, professor and chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the College of Public Health and team captain for the college’s team.

This is the fourth year the College of Public Health has participated in the walk, which has had members involved in the event since the college was created in 2009.

Currently, there are about 15 people registered for the College of Public Health’s team, but Hallam said he expects more students to sign up. The Public Health Student Alliance is recruiting students to participate in the walk.

Hallam said raising awareness about heart and cardiovascular disease and raising money for research on the diseases is vital.

“Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. One in two folks will experience cardiovascular disease,” he said. “The more that we can do to help raise awareness of cardiovascular disease and raise funds, primarily for research, (the better).”

Those interested in registering for the walk or donating to either of Kent State’s teams can go to www.heart.org/akronwalk and click on the register or donate buttons at the top of the page, then find either of Kent State’s teams.

Contact Emily Mills at [email protected].