Karen's Walk

Karen's Walk is a 5K Run/Walk that sponsors heart failure research in memory of Karen Decker. Delta Alpha established the Karen Decker Cardiomyopathy Fund at the University of Rochester Medical Center after a friend of the fraternity passed away from postpartum cardiomyopathy, a form of heart failure. The walk was started in 2003 and to date has raised over $25,000.

"The Karen Decker Cardiomyopathy Fund supports research which furthers the understanding and treatment of cardiomyopathy and other forms of heart failure. Scientists at the University of Rochester Cardiovascular Research Institute draw from the fund to support their projects, and progress is made every day."

The chapter works with John Bisognano, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Clinical Preventive Cardiology and Burns Blaxall, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine and of Pharmacology & Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute. They have also hosted chapter members participating in internships in their labs.