5th Annual Veridian 5K Walk/Run

Join us in "Stepping Up to the Plate for Stroke Awareness" for our 5th Annual Veridian 5K run/walk. Proceeds from the race will be donated to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) which provides education on preventing and life after surviving stroke, support to survivors and their families and funding for life-saving research.

Stroke is a disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. It is the  No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States.
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures). When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it and brain cells die.

"Hitting" Close to Home: Claudio Carrasco's Story

Claudio Carrasco, husband of Veridian employee, Shelly Carrasco, suffered a stroke in recent years. Beloved by many in the Cedar Valley, his story of community leadership and survival is a reminder to us all that this disease, while preventative, can affect anyone. It is important to be aware of stroke symptoms to save yourself or a loved one's life. Carrasco has deep roots in both baseball and the Waterloo metro area after coming to the Cedar Valley as a second baseman for the Waterloo Indians in the 1980s. He played 485 games with them over the course of 4 seasons before playing Class AA in the minor leagues. During his 7 minor league years, he hit 25 home runs before settling in the metro area and taking up softball in 1990 where he has been a Hall of Famer since 2008. Carrasco has not only spent time on the diamonds playing, he is also a 2 time "Coach of the Year" for youth baseball/softball, where he coached many teams through the Waterloo Leisure Services and Jr. Wahawk Baseball/Softball programs. Claudio also mentored baseball and softball programs for Waterloo East and West. On top of this, Claudio also gave private lessons and has served as head coach of his son's, Jonathan, little league baseball team, The Irish Nightmares.

More Facts on Stroke*

• Nearly 800,000 (approximately 795,000) people in the United States have a stroke every year, with about three in four being first-time strokes.
• Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death in the United States, killing nearly 130,000 people a year (128,978). That’s one in every 20 deaths.
• Someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds.
• Every four minutes, someone dies of stroke.
• Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability and the leading preventable cause of disability.
• More women than men have strokes each year, in part because women live longer.
• Learn more at http://www.strokeassociation.org

*Source: American Heart Association/American Stroke Association 2017