BILLINGS, Mont. – Community involvement is a vital part of the Montana State University Billings athletic department and on Saturday, Sept. 10, the Yellowjacket softball team shared the MSUB athletic department's community spirit when they helped out with the Billings Heart Walk.
The event featured a 5K walk that started at Cisel Hall on campus and continued into the surrounding community. The team helped to raise around $1,000 for the American Heart Association.
“It was an honor for our team to participate in the Billings Heart Walk,” said head coach
Lisa Allen. “We believe that research in the heart and stroke areas is very important to our society.”
Heart health and research strikes very close to home for the Yellowjackets as senior catcher turned second baseman
Jenna VanEykeren was diagnosed during her sophomore year with Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia, causing
her to change playing positions.
“This particular matter lies close with our team because Jenna suffers from a heart problem,” stated Allen. “As a team we wanted to support her and the fellow survivors of Billings.”
Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia is a heart condition where too much adrenaline is released into the blood stream while exercising leading to elevated heart rate and sometimes blackouts. It is common in active, females and usually will not show up unless the individual is active but can be kept under control with the use of medication.
VanEykeren's mom has a similar heart condition, Semi-Ventricular Tachycardia, where her ventricle's do not fill up with enough blood before releasing. Their situation is unique because it is generally not genetically linked.
The softball team and others from around campus and the city of Billings joined together for the event. The money raised goes to the American Heart Association for research, strengthening emergency cardiovascular care and implementing new health programs.
Since 1993, the AHA has funded more than $1 billion in heart and stroke research and the AHA currently has $362,000 invested in 4 active research projects in Montana at MSU in Bozeman.
