Thank you Long Island! The 2004 American Heart Association's Long Island Heart Walk was a great success as hundreds of thousands of dollars were raised to help support the American Heart Association and its fight against Long Island's No. 1 and No. 3 causes of death - heart disease and stroke. Did you know that major cardiovascular disease continues to be Long Island's leading cause of death, claiming the lives of more than 9,500 Long Islanders this year? As a Long Island resident, and heart disease and stroke survivor, I'm living proof that more cardiovascular research is needed to find answers and save lives.

The dollars raised at events like the American Heart Walk come back to benefit everyone right here on Long Island. For example, research has helped to bring us such "heart milestones" as microsurgery, heart valve replacement, the implanted defibrillator, drug therapies for high blood pressure and cholesterol, the artificial heart machine, the benefits of external cardiac massage ("CPR"), coronary bypass surgery, and much more. Benefits to our towns and people also include community programs, free presentations at businesses, schools or organizations, toll-free information lines, free brochures and packets, and more. Through the commitment of the Long Island community, the American Heart Walk helps make this all possible.

Thousands of walkers and volunteers joined us at the Long Island American Heart Walk to help bring attention to the importance of the theme "Step Out, Save Lives! - Exercise Your Heart!" which promotes the importance of physical activity and how it can help reduce or eliminate risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Lack of physical activity is a risk factor contributing significantly to four of the six leading causes of death in the United States, namely heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes.

The success of the Long Island American Heart Walk would not have been possible without the support provided by volunteers, supporters, walkers and teams. I want to acknowledge the special contributions to the American Heart Walk made by our sponsors Subway and Archer Daniels Midland Co., proud makers of the NutriSoy brand; our local sponsor, Astoria Federal Saving and our official media sponsor WBAB-FM 102.3. Thanks to the Long Island community for their continued support of the Long Island American Heart Walk, because of you, more people will have a fighting chance to beat sudden cardiac arrest, heart attack, heart disease and stroke.

Mark your calendar and join us next fall at the 2005 Long Island American Heart Walk. Strengthen your personal chain of survival! Know the warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest, heart attack and stroke. Learn CPR. For more information about heart disease and stroke, call your local office of the American Heart Association, visit the web at www.americanheart.org or call 1-800-AHA-USA1.

Jeffrey Frankel

Ambassador, 2004 Long Island

American Heart Walk and

Roslyn Resident