Aldo Zilli urges runners to lace up ahead of London Marathon

April 19, 2012 - PRLog -- Everyone running the London Marathon will receive a pair of red laces in their welcome pack, which HEART UK encourages runners to wear to promote the importance of heart health awareness.

Aldo Zilli said: ““As an Ambassador for HEART UK, I’m passionate about promoting heart health. I’ll be cheering on all the runners and I’d like to wish everyone the very best of luck. It’s one of the toughest personal sports challenges anyone can face and will raise millions for hundreds of deserving causes.

“Everyone who takes part on Sunday will have a pair of HEART UK red laces in their welcome pack and I urge them to wear them with pride.

“Heart disease is one of the biggest killers in the UK and whoever you are running for on Sunday, anything you can do to support HEART UK will help us in the battle to beat heart disease. We’ve seen with recovering English footballer Fabrice Muamba and Italian footballer Piermario Morosini, who sadly died of a cardiac arrest last weekend, how important it is to help this worthy cause.”

HEART UK Chief Executive Jules Payne said: “The London Marathon is such an inspiring sporting event, bringing together runners of all standards. The more people wear the laces, the more opportunity it gives us to raise awareness that affects so many lives in the UK every year.”

HEART UK is the UK's only cholesterol charity and dedicated to providing support for people with inherited high cholesterol. They also work with governing bodies and medical stakeholders to develop better methods of detection and treatment for cholesterol related conditions.

The Teamredlaces Challenge is designed to encourage people to get active for heart health, to spread the redlaces message and raise vital funds for the work of HEART UK. Every person running the London Marathon for HEART UK will receive a pair of redlaces to raise awareness of inherited high cholesterol and prompt people to question their family’s heart history. Every pair of redlaces bought will raise funds to support families with high cholesterol, helping them to make important lifestyle changes and enjoy longer lives.
ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

HEART UK was formed in 2002 following a merger of The Family Heart Association (FHA) and the British Hyperlipidaemia Association (BHA).

HEART UK - The Cholesterol Charity - promotes healthy hearts and better lives by:
•   helping and supporting individuals, families and health professionals to understand and control cholesterol conditions and other heart risks
•   promoting education and research to improve identification, prevention, treatment and care of cholesterol and lipid conditions
•   working in partnership with government, the NHS, industry and other charities
•   promoting best practice in addressing inherited and non-inherited cholesterol conditions

Two thirds of adults in the UK have raised cholesterol. Over 120,000 people in Britain have a form of inherited high cholesterol called Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) which can cause premature death as those as young as 30 – and only 15% of those with the condition are known.

Aldo Zilli is the charismatic owner and chef of the acclaimed Zilli restaurants and has forged an extremely successful career in television, radio and print.

He became a HEART UK Ambassador in 2010 after a number of members of his family suffered with heart disease. Aldo has played a key role for HEART UK, opening the doors of Zilli Fish in September 2010 for a National Cholesterol Week breakfast cholesterol testing event, where a high number of workers in the Soho area were found to have high cholesterol. He has also talked at a parliamentary event and shared his own family story. Aldo won the series Celebrity Fat Club following the early death of his brother and as a result of that has turned his own life around,

People wishing to find out more about FH should contact: HEART UK on the helpline - 0845 450 5988, or visit www.heartuk.org.uk

For media inquiries please contact:
David Alexander, Calacus PR on 07802-412424 or david.alexander@calacus.com OR
Joanna Fackler, Calacus PR on 07731-769269 or joanna.fackler@calacus.com

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Calacus PR was established in 2007 by David Alexander, a former national and international sports journalist. Calacus has expertise in international sports campaigns, media relations, consumer and corporate consultancy and athlete representation.