The 2026 Erie Heart Walk will be chaired by David Markiewicz, chief executive officer of Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Erie. The announcement frames Markiewicz’s role as central to engaging local employers, organizations and residents in efforts to increase community readiness to respond to cardiac emergencies. The Heart Walk is presented as the American Heart Association’s largest community initiative, combining fundraising, education and workplace involvement to support research and expand access to CPR training.
The release emphasizes persistent survival gaps for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. According to the American Heart Association, roughly 9 in 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside a hospital do not survive, and more than half do not receive CPR from a bystander. The statement notes that when CPR is provided immediately, it can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival. These statistics are invoked to underline the urgency of increasing public training and confidence so that more residents can act effectively during a cardiac emergency.
Under Markiewicz’s leadership, local employers and community leaders are expected to recruit additional organizations to join the Heart Walk campaign and to help build what the AHA describes as a “community of lifesavers.” Markiewicz is quoted expressing a goal of having at least one person in every household feel confident to perform CPR, framing Heart Walk participation as an investment in education, awareness and lifesaving skills that strengthen community safety.
Francis D. Ferdinand, MD, medical director and division chief of Cardiac Surgery at UPMC Hamot and board president of the American Heart Association in Erie, praised Markiewicz’s selection. Ferdinand highlighted Markiewicz’s passion for improving local health and safety and described him as an exceptional choice to lead the event because of his understanding of community strengths and neighbor-to-neighbor support.
The release cites the Heart Association’s 2024 CPR Perceptions Survey to describe trends in public confidence. In 2024, 39% of people — approximately 103 million U.S. adults — reported feeling “extremely confident” or “very confident” that they could correctly perform CPR, up from 33% in 2021. The increase represents roughly 17.7 million more adults reporting high confidence, but the AHA notes that 61% of adults still do not have high confidence to act in a cardiac emergency. The survey data are used to justify continued outreach and training efforts in Erie and beyond.
The American Heart Association positions itself as a global leader in resuscitation science, education and training and as the official publisher of CPR guidelines. The release references the AHA’s Nation of Lifesavers™ movement, which works to ensure more people are ready to perform CPR and to serve as vital links in the chain of survival. The movement is aligned with the Association’s stated goal of doubling the survival rate from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests by 2030.
The 2026 Erie Heart Walk is scheduled for Thursday, September 10 at Liberty Park. The AHA estimated about 1,000 participants are expected to walk in celebration of local survivors and the region’s progress in lifesaving measures. Companies interested in participating were directed to contact Gina Klofft, executive director of the American Heart Association’s Erie division, at G.R.Klofft@heart.org. Registration and additional event information are available via the local Heart Walk web page at www.heart.org/ErieWalk.
The release reiterates the AHA’s mission and reach: the organization describes itself as a relentless force for longer, healthier lives and highlights a century of providing health information. The AHA reports being supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, funding groundbreaking research, advocating for public health and offering resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. The statement emphasizes the AHA’s approach of driving scientific breakthroughs and implementing solutions in science, policy and care.
For media inquiries, the release lists Karen Colbert with a telephone number and email address as the media contact. For public inquiries, the general AHA contact number is provided: 1-800-AHA-USA1. Local companies and prospective participants were given the contact for Gina Klofft, executive director of the AHA Erie division (G.R.Klofft@heart.org), and directed to register at the local Heart Walk page.