Hello, Health Talks community! This is Shiv, a high school student and the founder of The Health Talks! I had the honor of representing the American Heart Association at the 2025 Southwest Missouri Heart Walk on Saturday, June 7. As a National Youth Heart Ambassador Advocate, I was proud to help bring the AHA’s mission to life in my community.

At the event, I led the Kids Zone—handing out heart-themed coloring pages, organizing a ball toss game, and giving out fun prizes to help young participants get active and excited about heart health. It was incredibly rewarding to see families come together to support such a powerful cause.

I’m deeply passionate about the AHA’s mission, especially through my advocacy for the Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge. These programs allow me to educate students and families on the importance of living heart-healthy lives and raise critical funds for life-saving research.

The Heart Walk was a remarkable reminder of the impact we can make when we come together to fight heart disease. Looking ahead, I plan to continue expanding my advocacy by applying to AHA’s Youth Leadership Council and pursuing a Teen of Impact nomination, so I can continue raising awareness, inspiring action, and helping build a future free of heart disease.