Heart and soul

DIL Walk

Calgary cardiologist Dr. Anmol S. Kapoor helps the South Asian community take control of their heart health through the DIL (Do It for Life) Walk.

We know that heart disease is the leading cause of death world-wide, and the South Asian community has a three to five times higher risk for heart attack than other communities in Canada.

VIDEO

Watch the DIL Walk 2012 summary for more information about this initiative.

DIL WalkIn Punjabi, Hindu and Urdu, DIL means heart. But for members of Alberta’s South Asian community, DIL may soon become synonymous with heart health, thanks to the efforts of Calgary cardiologist Dr. Anmol S. Kapoor.

“We know that heart disease is the leading cause of death world-wide, and the South Asian community has a three to five times higher risk for heart attack than other communities in Canada,” explains Dr. Kapoor. “So we want to increase awareness in that community.”

The brainchild of Dr. Kapoor and his wife Raman, a registered dietician, the DIL (Do It for Life) Walk aims to reach people before heart disease strikes.

DILThe event, which is held in a local school and is entirely community funded, begins with participants receiving a blood-sugar check and a waist-circumference measurement. They are then directed to various 15-minute education sessions – all of which are offered in an environment that overcomes language and cultural barriers.

“Once the sessions are done, we move into the gym for a warm up with some Bollywood dancing and yoga,” laughs Dr. Kapoor. “We try to keep it fun and show them you don’t need a gym membership – even dancing in your home is great exercise.”

DIL WalkAfter the warm up, the group heads out for a walk. “There’s no pressure, they just go as far and as fast as they want.” The event wraps up with a lunch donated by community sponsors.

Response to the event has been phenomenal, and it took place in Edmonton for the first time in 2013.

“We hear from a lot of people that there was a real need for this,” says Dr. Kapoor. “And now we’re looking at how we can expand this to communities all across Canada.”

More about the DIL Walk

Alberta Medical Association Mission: Advocate for and support Alberta physicians. Strengthen their leadership in the provision of sustainable quality care.