TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Join Stacie Schaible and the entire WFLA News Channel 8 team as we fight against heart disease and stroke in the 2017 Tampa Heart Walk.

News Channel 8 viewers helped us raise $18,990, to be matched by Billy Fuccillo of Fuccillo Kia, during our Tampa Heart Walk Telethon on Wednesday.

Thank you to everyone who called in to the telethon and donated. We appreciate every single one of you.

Fuccillo will once again match the amount raised — up to $50,000.

Through your financial support, you are not only helping hearts in our community, but you are also helping fund lifesaving research and educate adults and children at risk for developing cardiovascular disease.

Here are some facts to know from the CDC:

Heart Facts:

  • About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year- that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.
  • Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. More than half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2009 were in men.
  • Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common type of heart disease, killing over 370,000 people.
  • Every year about 735,000 Americans have a heart attack. Of these, 525,000 are a first heart attack and 210,000 happen in people who have already had a heart attack.

Stroke Facts:

  • Stroke kills about 140,000 Americans each year—that’s 1 out of every 20 deaths.
  • Someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds. Every 4 minutes, someone dies of a stroke.
  • Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke. About 610,000 of these are first or new strokes.
  • About 185,00 strokes—nearly 1 of 4—are in people who have had a previous stroke.
  • About 87%of all strokes are ischemic strokes, in which blood flow to the brain is blocked.
  • Stroke costs the United States an estimated $34 billion each year. This total includes the cost of health care services, medicines to treat stroke, and missed days of work.
  • Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability.Stroke reduces mobility in more than half of stroke survivors age 65 and over.

Join Stacie’s team and learn how you can donate to the Tampa Bay Heart Walk