MADISON, Wis. (July 10, 2026) - Jim Valk of TDS Telecom has been named chair of the 2026 Madison Heart Walk, leading a year-round effort to rally companies and community members to raise critical funds and expand hands-only CPR education to help improve cardiac arrest outcomes across the greater Madison area.

According to the American Heart Association, 9 in 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, and more than half do not receive bystander CPR. Every minute without CPR reduces the chance of survival by about 10 percent. When performed immediately, hands-only CPR can double or triple a person’s chance of survival, underscoring the importance of increasing awareness, training and preparedness throughout the community.

Heart Walk is the largest community-facing initiative of the American Heart Association, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone everywhere. Through fundraising, community education and corporate engagement, Heart Walk aims to make CPR education and training more accessible, fund vital research and drive equitable health for all. 

Through Valk’s leadership, top executives in Madison are working to recruit other organizations to join the local Heart Walk campaign and help build a community of lifesavers.

In 2021, Valk lost his wife, Jenni, to sudden cardiac arrest, forever changing the lives of their family and everyone who knew her. Jenni was a devoted mother, daughter, sister, friend, volunteer and community advocate whose loss left a profound void.

“This mission is deeply personal to me,” Valk said. “In 2021, I lost my wife, Jenni, to sudden cardiac arrest. Her loss forever changed our family and everyone who knew her. That’s why I’m involved with the Heart Walk.”

Valk’s commitment to this work deepened again after losing a 46-year-old cousin to cardiac arrest two years ago. Together, these losses have fueled his passion for raising awareness, expanding CPR education and helping spare other families the heartbreak of losing a loved one too soon.

“Cardiac arrest doesn’t discriminate, and every second counts,” Valk added. “By helping more people learn CPR and respond in an emergency, we can give more families the chance that mine never had.”

According to the Heart Association’s 2024 CPR Perceptions Survey, 39% of people — or approximately 103 million U.S. adults — now feel “extremely confident” or “very confident” they could correctly perform CPR, up from 33% in 2021. That’s roughly 17.7 million more adults who are highly confident in their ability to conduct CPR, yet 61% still lack high confidence to act in a cardiac emergency.

The Heart Association is a global leader in resuscitation science, education and training, and the official publisher of CPR guidelines. Through the Nation of Lifesavers™ movement, the Association is working to ensure that more people are ready to perform CPR and be a vital link in the chain of survival, supporting its goal of doubling the survival rate from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests by 2030.

The Madison Heart Walk will take place on Saturday, Sept. 26, at McKee Farms Park in Fitchburg. An estimated 500 participants are expected to walk in celebration of local survivors and the lifesaving progress made in Madison. Companies interested in participating can contact local Heart Walk Director Brianna Demotto at Brianna.Demotto@Heart.org. Learn more and register at MadisonWiHeartWalk.org.

 

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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

 

For Media Inquiries: 214-706-1173
Travis Sloan; Travis.Sloan@Heart.org
For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)
heart.org and stroke.org