(Philadelphia, PA) - The University of Pennsylvania Health System is this year’s presenting sponsor of the upcoming 2005 American Heart Walk, the local annual fundraising event for the American Heart Association. On one Sunday morning in September, we need your help to pull off an unprecedented event in the City of Brotherly Love!

What: Let’s show the world that Philly has HEART by creating the world’s largest human-formed heart! In less than 15 minutes, we'll work hand-in-hand to have a momentous event captured from above in pictures and video in order to attract worldwide attention to our battle against heart disease, the nation’s number one killer. To put Philly on the map, we're hoping to attract at least 5,000 participants for this rare photo opportunity. Please come out, wearing the color red, and help us accomplish this amazing feat. Then, you're welcome to stay and join us for the annual American Heart Walk.

Who: Anyone in the Greater Philadelphia area who’s ever been touched by heart disease through a loved one, a neighbor, a friend, or a coworker.

Where: The grass field immediately to the West of Memorial Hall, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia. Line up along the chalk heart-shaped outline.

When: Sunday, September 25, 2005 at 8 a.m.

How: We’ll stand in the heart-shaped formation for 5 minutes total to allow the media to capture this unique and exciting photo opportunity from above - hopefully to generate a “buzz” around the world - to ultimately help in the ongoing fight against heart disease. (We’re going to try to break the world record set in the country of Hungary last August. They had 3,000 participants in their photo).

Why: Each year, heart disease kills 930,000 Americans - which is more than from the next five causes of death combined. Every 34 seconds, someone dies from heart disease.

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PENN Medicine is a $2.7 billion enterprise dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and high-quality patient care. PENN Medicine consists of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Penn’s School of Medicine is ranked #2 in the nation for receipt of NIH research funds; and ranked #4 in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s most recent ranking of top research-oriented medical schools. Supporting 1,400 fulltime faculty and 700 students, the School of Medicine is recognized worldwide for its superior education and training of the next generation of physician-scientists and leaders of academic medicine.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System includes: its flagship hospital, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, consistently rated one of the nation’s “Honor Roll” hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's first hospital; Penn Presbyterian Medical Center; a faculty practice plan; a primary-care provider network; two multispecialty satellite facilities; and home health care and hospice.