Walking into victory: Steps Challenge
![People outside walking near trees](/ctplus/asset/d712ea75-2baf-4662-8037-c22278eb7296/heart-walk-header.jpg)
On Sept. 12, walkers chose their own backgrounds (sound familiar?) for the American Heart Association’s 2020 Virtual Dallas Heart Walk.
To keep supporters safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, instead of gathering downtown, participants were encouraged to walk anywhere in their community or neighborhood. The twist on the annual walk raising awareness to fight cardiovascular diseases was captured on social media.
UT Southwestern had the highest number of teams and walkers in the Hospital, Healthcare, and Wellness category for the event. Donations to the AHA are still being added on behalf of UTSW and are currently at $36,523.
The Heart Walk started in Dallas in 1994 and is the largest AHA walk in the country. The event raises money to assist heart disease and stroke patients, fund research at UT Southwestern and other leading research centers, and promote wellness initiatives. It also offers a way for loved ones to honor those who have succumbed to those diseases. The majority of the funds raised during the Dallas Heart Walk stay in North Texas.
Flip through the gallery below to see winning photos selected by employee judges of those who captured their steps during the day. Contest winners received a photo frame and a wireless pad combo.
Photo categories:
- Awesome UTSW Team Spirit
- Cutest Kid Pic of the Day
- I Love to Walk with my Pet
- Most Creative Walking Pic
- Cutest Pet Pic
- Best Family Pic
Select an image to begin the slideshow.
![Awesome UTSW Team Spirit winner #1 – submitted by Melissa Cunanan](/ctplus/asset/03c95c8c-853d-4ff6-96ff-64845815c748/melissa-cunanan.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Awesome UTSW Team Spirit winner #2 – submitted by Nikki Fuller](/ctplus/asset/cb40cb52-eb34-441e-9d86-b7ac6ca7d89a/nikki-fuller.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Awesome UTSW Team Spirit winner #3 – submitted by Daisy Varghese](/ctplus/asset/124ea582-a959-4b4e-8f65-f25fa5bcec3a/daisy-varghese.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Awesome UTSW Team Spirit winner #4 – submitted by Morgan Gizzi](/ctplus/asset/e4a90988-0034-475c-9b54-526d73990395/morgan-gizzi.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Cutest Kid Pic of the Day winner #1 – submitted by Deborah Carlson](/ctplus/asset/e63fcce2-c09e-42fc-b8fd-9211944a12a2/deborah-carlson.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Cutest Pet Pic winner #1 – submitted by Bhavini Patel](/ctplus/asset/97f5622b-d997-4a3f-b55c-da2aa10324e7/bhavani-patel.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Cutest Kid Pic of the Day winner #3 – submitted by Lauren Wagner](/ctplus/asset/f66c74a9-86b1-4ca7-9ce8-68cadd7ebd1c/lauren-wager.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Cutest Kid Pic of the Day winner #4 – submitted by Hannah Masters](/ctplus/asset/c9d33b4d-f403-436e-8cb3-85d9e36d6905/hannah-masters.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![I Love to Walk with my Pet winner #1 – submitted by Xio Yao](/ctplus/asset/ff4b6d53-18fb-4aea-90c4-df5686b6053a/xIo-yao.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![I Love to Walk with my Pet winner #2 – submitted by Elizabeth Anthony](/ctplus/asset/a0a03b4b-7b9f-454c-a581-ee2baa1422dc/elizabeth-antony.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![I Love to Walk with my Pet winner #3 – submitted by Angel Wynne-Steed](/ctplus/asset/3e92cc7d-e809-4f68-9122-5c30e5864309/angel-wynne-steed.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![I Love to Walk with my Pet winner #4 – submitted by Paul Carlson](/ctplus/asset/9026a4ea-c33b-48af-a2b7-4908c8ee6a8b/paul-carson.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Most Creative Walking Pic winner #1 – submitted by Rocio Rangel](/ctplus/asset/20d156fb-d470-4ed5-9f58-4d3c180ffc59/rocio-rangel.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Most Creative Walking Pic winner #2 – submitted by Alvaro Noriega Ramirez](/ctplus/asset/8b2f0b43-2188-4c2b-8e8e-b254669651f1/alvaro-noriega-ramirez.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Most Creative Walking Pic winner #3 – submitted by April Wilder](/ctplus/asset/d39be018-9aef-446d-8f05-94712a607b7f/april-wilder.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Most Creative Walking Pic winner #4 – submitted by Jennifer Doren](/ctplus/asset/0a5cdf8f-0ac5-4a71-9786-88e9a5f237ae/jennifer-doren.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Cutest Pet Pic winner #1 – submitted by Bhavini Patel](/ctplus/asset/bcc0b5f7-af09-4fec-872c-d73c4625337c/bhavini-patel-pet.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Cutest Pet Pic winner #2 – submitted by Marjorie Morales](/ctplus/asset/0ef6e2a8-93d0-49bb-9e56-7a8e3f1dbcdc/marjorie-morales.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Cutest Pet Pic winner #3 – submitted by Wendy Martinez](/ctplus/asset/b900e40e-8c81-4362-a523-c5cf8fe8ccfa/wendy-martinez.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Cutest Pet Pic winner #4 – submitted by Randal Bagwell](/ctplus/asset/2d13d4fb-c407-4318-b8ae-61707c0aba0f/randal-bagwell.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Best Family Pic winner #1 – submitted by Shaghayegh Rezaie](/ctplus/asset/275d42c1-7db9-4b79-a3d8-94b7a683cd48/shaghayegh-rezaie.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Best Family Pic winner #2 – submitted by Min Jeong Lee](/ctplus/asset/05916d07-40d9-4dba-9b87-37502c373a5c/min-jeong-lee.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Best Family Pic winner #3 – submitted by Monica Morgan](/ctplus/asset/3bdc2b63-995f-4e37-a976-1ba63f2f2a46/monica-morgan.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Best Family Pic winner #4 – submitted by Rubbena Hernandez](/ctplus/asset/3e2200f9-a0d5-4263-9b0b-8bad8a26071c/rubbena-hernandez.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)