Swimmer returns to pool for heart healthy fundraiser | Announcements

The National Down Syndrome Society estimates that about half of Down syndrome people have a coronary heart defect. Marciniak is 1 he has a mitral valve prolapse.

In accordance to the Mayo Clinic, “mitral valve prolapse is a type of heart valve sickness that impacts the valve among the left heart chambers (still left atrium and still left ventricle). The flaps (leaflets) of the mitral valve are floppy. They bulge backward (prolapse) like a parachute into the heart’s left upper chamber (atrium) as the heart squeezes (contracts).”

So Marciniak manages his way of life as a result of diet plan and training to stay away from valve repair service or substitution surgery.

He wears a Fitbit watch to observe his heart rate all over the working day.

He frequently eats healthy foodstuff. For breakfast, it’s mainly Cheerios with blueberries and a banana. Eggs are always cooked about effortless and paired with pomegranate juice. For lunch, he eats a salad of combined greens, cucumber, spring onion, mushroom, apple slices, tomatoes, grapes and blueberries. His coronary heart physician says he ought to restrict himself to just one burger for each month—that’s a tricky a single to continue to keep. But he will splurge with a pizza with added cheese once per thirty day period.

Marciniak also tries to maintain lively. He is effective part time as a loader at Lowe’s in Central Park, wherever there are tons of carts to return and buyers seeking for an individual to enable them load buys into their vehicles. He bowls with the Knight of Columbus league.

But his mainstay for exercise is swimming—a sport he enjoys and excels in. He was the only lengthy-distance swimmer from Virginia to contend in the Unique Olympics 2014 Usa video games in Princeton, New Jersey, and he received silver and bronze medals. However, COVID procedures set by Particular Olympics prohibited indoor athletics until not too long ago.

With the resumption of indoor swimming in Region 11, which contains Fredericksburg and Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford counties, Marciniak determined to after all over again aid himself keep suit and thank Special Olympics with a fundraiser by swimming laps for donations. For Marciniak’s Aquaman Obstacle, he pledges to swim continual laps for dollars donated according to the following plan: $25–10 laps $50–20 laps $75–30 laps $100–40 laps and 10 supplemental laps for each and every $100 donated above $100.

Donations may possibly be manufactured by examine or by credit history card.

Make checks payable to “SOVA,” and compose “Charlie Aquaman” on the memo line mail to Particular Olympics Virginia, 3212 Skipwith Highway, Suite 100, Richmond, VA 23294.

Credit score card donations may perhaps be produced on-line at effect.specialolympicsva.org/aquaman.

Very last year, Marciniak elevated $4,426 and swam 1,550 laps, or 24.1 miles, in a Distinctive Olympics Polar Plunge fundraiser, with 50% going to Spot 11. This calendar year, Marciniak hopes to increase $5,000 with about 94% going to his neighborhood space (6% goes to payment processing and site administration charges). But he requirements your assistance to reach that purpose. The fundraiser runs by May 1.

Marciniak is difficult himself to stay heart nutritious by way of a vigorous swim system. He is challenging visitors to monetarily assistance him and others like him who count on Special Olympics to sustain an energetic, wholesome life style by competitive sporting activities.