What is the DIL Walk?

“We know that the South Asian community has a three to five times higher risk for heart attack,” explains Dr. Anmol Kapoor, a Calgary cardiologist. “We also know that screening and education have an important impact.”

It was that thinking that inspired Dr. Kapoor and his wife Raman, a registered dietician, to launch DIL (Do It for Life) Walk in 2012.

Now entering its third year, the one-day event begins by checking participants’ blood sugar, blood pressure and measuring waist circumference, before directing them on to various 15-minute heart-health related education sessions.

All participants receive a passport that notes their various readings and the sessions they’ve attended. After the sessions, the entire group heads out for the walk, before wrapping the day up with a lunch donated by one of the event’s community sponsors.

Real results

“Last year, we had close to 1,000 people attend,” notes Dr. Kapoor. “And we diagnosed several new cases of diabetes, hypertension and angina.”

He has also heard that many people brought their passports into their family physicians for follow-up. “It prompted them to do something about their heart health, which is exactly what we aimed to do.”

This year two events will be held – the first in Calgary on June 7 and the second in Edmonton on June 14. As always, community support and donations are critically important.

“Since last year, we’ve become a registered charity so now we can issue tax receipts,” explains Dr. Kapoor. Organizers are also planning a fundraising gala for this fall to help generate much-needed funds to support future DIL Walk events.

The success of the DIL Walk has drawn interest from across the country and Dr. Kapoor hopes to someday see similar events held across Canada.

“We’ve heard from so many people that this is encouraging entire families to take care of their health together. And that’s something that should happen in every community.”

More about this initiative

• DIL (Do It for Life) Walk >>