KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Thousands of people will walk for a cause on Saturday at the Power and Light District in Kansas City, Missouri.
It's the 25th annual American Heart Association’s Kansas City Heart & Stroke Walk and 5K.
"It's really a celebration of survivors kind of coming together and those people and their families and their friends coming together to support them," said DeEtta Lee, communications director for the American Heart Association in Kansas City.
For the second year in a row, one local family will be walking with a purpose.
Charron Powell's 3 year-old son LeGend Taliferro was diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot when he was born. In 2016, he had his first open-heart surgery.
"He had tetralogy of Fallot, which is four different heart defects in one, so he had a heart murmur and another hole in his heart, which causes the blood to not flow correctly through his body," Powell said.
According to the American Heart Association, one in 100 children will have a congenital heart defect.
Saturday's Heart Walk in downtown Kansas City will give survivors and supporters a chance to come together for the cause.
Lee said organizers hope to raise awareness and money for kids just like LeGend.
Last year, Powell raised $1,200 in her son's honor to donate to the cause. This year, she's hoping to raise $1,500.
LeGend's battle isn't over yet. Powell said he will have to have a second open-heart surgery in the future.
