Oklahoma City prepares for 2026 Heart Walk; public urged to step up for heart health on May 30

OKLAHOMA CITY, April 15, 2026 — The American Heart Association, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone everywhere, is urging Oklahomans across the metro area to step forward, join together and take part in the 2026 Oklahoma City Heart Walk, set for Saturday, May 30 at Bicentennial Park. Organizers say this year’s walk will be stronger, more vibrant and more impactful if the community shows up in force. Few people know the power of showing up better than 61-year-old Juan “Danny” Olvera, a steady presence at the INTEGRIS Health gift shop and a Heart Walk participant for more than three decades. Olvera has walked in every Heart Walk since 1993, each one in memory of a colleague and friend, Kip Jones, who died of heart disease while the two were working retail together at an Oklahoma City mall. A coworker invited Olvera to join that first walk in Kip’s honor. Though he didn’t raise money that inaugural year, something about the event, the purpose, the people and the possibility of helping someone else kept him coming back. “I joined the Heart Walk the first time in Kip’s memory, and I’ve walked every year since,” Olvera said. “Through rain or shine, I walk because it’s the best thing I can do for Kip, for the patients who come through the heart hospital, and for everyone facing heart disease.” In the 33 years since that first walk, Olvera has moved from casual participant to committed team captain. At INTEGRIS Health, where he serves as the gift shop coordinator for one of the largest hospital gift shops in the state, his fundraising begins with something small and simple: a clear donation box on the counter. Visitors, employees and families who wander through the gift shop often drop in spare change. Over time, the coins add up. Olvera estimates he empties the box about once a week and deposits everything into his Heart Walk fundraising page each month. “It’s amazing how much a little box of change can do,” he said. “People see it, they know what it’s for, and they want to help.” Olvera also receives support from private donors who contribute each season, and he estimates that together, his total fundraising has reached at least $33,000 over the years. It’s a fitting echo of his 33 years of walking. Many of his coworkers and friends now join him, forming teams and walking alongside him at Bicentennial Park, where the walk takes place each spring. The location has changed over the decades — first at the Bricktown Ballpark, then near the Civic Center, and now at Bicentennial Park — but the energy of the crowd has remained the same. Olvera says the moments right before the walk begins are the ones that stay with him year after year. “All the people are pumped up right before the walk starts … the music is playing, the drums are beating, everyone is cheering,” he said. “Then the walk gets started, and you remember why you’re there.” Although Olvera has never had heart problems of his own, the event has become a place where he learns about heart health and hears the personal stories of survivors. He visits every booth, has his blood pressure checked and practices CPR on the manikin each year, wanting to stay informed and prepared. The survivor stories shared before the walk begins also keep him deeply connected to the mission. “That’s how I find out what people have gone through and what they’ve had to deal with,” Olvera said. “It reminds me that the walk matters.” As a team captain, Olvera motivates others to participate, invites coworkers to walk with him and looks for small, meaningful ways to support the cause. He sees his efforts as an extension of what he witnesses working at the heart hospital: the families who come through, the patients recovering or visiting loved ones, and the employees who serve them. “I walk for everybody who comes through that heart hospital,” he said. “Whether you know them or not, it’s a spirit thing. Everyone walking is helping someone.” Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in Oklahoma, and the Heart Walk serves as a critical fundraiser supporting research, CPR education, community health programs and policy initiatives that improve cardiovascular health across the state. But its impact depends on community participation, and this year, the Association is calling on even more Oklahomans to join. “The Heart Walk works because people show up,” said Jennifer Lacy, senior development director for the OKC Heart Walk. “Every person who registers, every person who walks, every person who donates – it all adds up to lives saved. We need the community with us this year.” Registration is free, and families, survivors, corporate teams, faith groups, school groups and individuals of all ages are encouraged to participate. Organizers say the Heart Walk isn’t about athletic ability or distance; it’s about showing support, honoring loved ones and making a visible, collective commitment to heart health in Oklahoma City. The community is invited to join Olvera and thousands of others at the 2026 Oklahoma City Heart Walk, May 30 at Bicentennial Park in downtown OKC. To sign up, start a team or learn more, visit OKCHeartWalk.org or contact Jennifer.Lacy@heart.org About the American Heart Association The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than a hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org , Facebook , X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1. For Media Inquiries Cyd King: cyd.king@heart.org For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721) heart.org and stroke.org