Our P.A.D Warrior Task Force Co-Chair Douglas, explained best how meaningful each step taken for the PAWS for PAD event was
For most participants in this challenge, taking steps isn't easy:
- Some are in areas of the world where they can't get timely appointments with a vascular specialist and have to dangle their legs at night to get pain relief.
- Some who can barely make it from the bedroom to the kitchen without resting.
- Some who recently had a procedure and are pushing through the perfusion pain.
- A few who have had amputations who are just getting used to their prosthetics
- Some recent amputees still healing who contributed still getting a cardiovascular workout using a hand cycle.
But every single one of them pushed through adversity to just takone more step...just one more step...and even one more s in an attempt to grow their collateral network. It's inspiring.
Sunny, for example had a blood blister and she couldn't put on her prosthetic the first two days of the challenge, but was determined by day three to contribute and clocked 500 steps.
Kay, who's been woken up nightly with leg cramps as she is fighting delays in care, including flow restoring revascularization, due to an overwhelmed healthcare system in her country, danced her way into midnight to up her step count.
Ron, who's still healing from a recent Trans metatarsal amputation, used his only leg to push himself around his living room on his scooter.
Eighty-percent of the PAWS For PAD participants have Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), a chronic circulation issue impacting mainly the legs that can make walking painful at times depending on the stage of disease. For them walking is the best medicine because it improves circulation with the additional pressure for blood flow during exercise helping to expand the collateral network of vessels to send critical nutrients, including oxygen to the lower extremities. To effectively grow that network, P.A.D. Warriors must push through the painful cramping.,
To know the stories of so many of these PAWS For PAD Warriors, seeing their posts in the community and final step count per day, and even more, seeing that the top five steppers were all P.A.D. Warriors, has brought tears to the eyes of the organizing committee who appreciated their courage and strength with every step.
More than five million steps were taken for PAWS for PAD, far exceeding the four million goal to raise awareness for the nearly four million dogs around the world who are poised and ready to save life and limb...if only they had a new walking companion.
Individual Step Winners:
- Gregory R. (steps above)
- Bob F.
- Lynne D
PetFood Express "Dog Lover" Step Winner:
- Vascular Institute (Rachel B.)
Most inspirational:
- Marie R.
- Marcia O.
- Doug F.
- Rebecca G.
#PAWSFORPAD PUPPY SPIRIT Winner:De
- Susan N. (Charlie pictured below)
- Frank D.
3. Joyce J.
4. Marleen C.
#PAWSFORPAD Industry Steps Winner:
- Cardiovascular Systems Inc. Jim W.
BEST #PAWSFORPAD EVENT WINNERS:
- Ozark Regional Vein & Artery Center
Ozark Regional, led by Dr. Christopher Stout MD FACS RPVI planned an extraordinary event in partnership with Taysia Blue Rescue which brought out some beautiful Husky’s for adoption and Fayetteville Animal Services which brought out some adorable puppies as well, logged more than 200,000 steps and multiple adoptions.
2. El Paso Cardiology Associates & Pulse Amputation
El Paso Cardiology Associates and Pulse Amputation Prevention Centers partnered with a local humane society for their inaugural PAWS For PAD event, logging more than 96,000 steps. Dr. Laiq Raja came off a morning of limb saving procedures to join the community for a walk at local Memoral Park in El paso, Texas where dogs were available for adoption and people could learn about P.A.D. and get their circulation tested.
From the bottom of our hearts at The Way To My Heart Inc, thank you for making our first annual PAD Awareness Month PAWS for PAD event such a success!
#peripheralarterydisease #padawarenessmonth #padawareness