NATCHEZ &8212; The prescription for the Miss-Lou American Heart Walk/Run was to bring Natchez a dose of health and fitness awareness Saturday, and by all accounts the event was good medicine.

&8220;It raises awareness of Heart Disease and helps raise money for heart research,&8221; Kay Ketchings, director of marketing at Natchez Regional Hospital, said. &8220;Plus it&8217;s a great opportunity to pull the community together for a great cause.&8221;

For the past five years the annual fundraiser for the American Heart Association has been promoting awareness of heart disease and heart-related illnesses in the area.

Although exact figures won&8217;t be tallied until Tuesday, the event is expected to raise close to last year&8217;s figure of $75,000.

According to event chairwoman Joanne Marshall, all of the money raised goes back into the area through the southeastern affiliate of the American Heart Association.

An estimated 400 volunteers and participants from a variety of businesses showed up to make sure things went smoothly and share in the fun. Since late July, teams of volunteers have raised money by getting individuals and businesses to pledge money for that team&8217;s participation in Saturday&8217;s event.

Anna Devening has volunteered every year that the event has been going on, and said that she receives satisfaction in knowing that the money raised is for a worthy cause.

&8220;I started out volunteering in the event because my boss was the chairperson,&8221; Devening said. &8220;I work with a lot of great people at the hospital and it&8217;s such a great cause. We started a letter writing campaign in September, and held luncheons, and bake sales, and a lot of other little fundraisers. I enjoy being a part of something that I know helps people &8212; plus it&8217;s just great fun.&8221;

Angela James and a group of her friends and coworkers in the Natchez-Adams County School District participated to help raise money and health awareness in area schools.

&8220;We&8217;re walking for the Natchez-Adams County School District to help raise money for our teachers and schools. Our coming out today was just our way of giving back,&8221; James said.

Sprinkled throughout the crowd were individuals wearing red ball caps signifying that they were a survivor of heart disease or a heart related illness. Kenny Dukes, who runs the heart center at Natchez Regional Hospital, was at the event to lend his support and share his story of survival with others.

&8220;I entered the center a few years ago with chest pains, because of my age it was able to be treated medically,&8221; Dukes said. &8220;I&8217;m a prime example of how, if it&8217;s caught early, people can avoid the pitfalls associated with heart disease. I hope people come away from today remembering that this can happen to them.&8221;

According to the American Heart Association Heart Disease is the number one killer of Americans Annually. Over 71 million Americans are afflicted with one or more types of cardiovascular disease.