SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) The National Stroke Association hosted its first 5k in Syracuse Oct. 13 at Onondaga Lake Park. The walk, known as the Comeback Trail, is an event that takes place across the country to support stroke prevention and awareness.
The chairwoman of the event, Katie Weiss, was determined to create the walk in Syracuse. Weiss had a stroke in 2015 that caused initial paralysis and gargled speech. After recovering, she wanted to help her community and reach out to other stroke survivors.
Weiss first heard of the Comeback Trail last year, and attended the event with her husband in Long Island. That’s when she thought to create the walk in Syracuse as well.
“When I was down there, I reached out to the organizers there and inquired how we could possibly get an event up here at Syracuse,” Weiss said. “That came to fruition in January when I signed on to be their chairwoman at the event this year.”
Weiss’ goal for the event is to bring together the community, survivors and awareness supporters. She wants survivors to get to know each other, and share their own experiences of recovery.
“To get other stroke survivors to hear people’s comeback stories and to offer hope for those still in recovery are our two main goals,” Weiss said.
The support group Weiss started is called Triumph Over Stroke CNY, an organization sponsored by Crouse Hospital. Weiss chose this hospital specifically because she was treated here during her stroke. Crouse Hospital is also supporting the walk along with the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Upstate University Hospital.
Crouse Hospital Physician’s Assistant Tabatha Jorgensen said Crouse has placed advertisements to support their stroke patients.
“A lot of our stroke survivors, which are a lot of our patients that have been treated here at Crouse, are going to the walk,” Jorgensen said.
More than 230 people from Central New York registered to join the walk. The fundraising goal of the event was $5,000, but by Thursday before the event more than $13,000 had been donated.
