PROVIDENCE BRAIN INSTITUTE NAMED
BENEFICIARY OF 2006 WILLAMETTE VALLEY RELAY

April 4, 2006

PORTLAND, Ore. - Wonders of Walking, LLC, a Portland-based organization that advocates for walking for fitness and pleasure, has named Providence Brain Institute the beneficiary of the third annual Willamette Valley Relay. The 135-mile, two-day event, set for July 14 and 15, takes hundreds of walkers of all ages and abilities on a scenic trek winding along the back roads from Champoeg Park just south of Portland in Aurora to Eugene, Oregon.

“Walking has long been said to improve mental health and reduce the risk of stroke,” said Judy Heller, president of Wonders of Walking and founder of the Willamette Valley Relay. “We are proud to support the work and research of the Providence Brain Institute.”

“Collaborating with the Wonders of Walking was a natural fit for us,” added Susie Fisher, program manager for the Providence Multiple Sclerosis Center, part of the Providence Brain Institute. “Walking is one of the best forms of exercise for your brain and an activity that can be done by anyone, no matter their age.

“Walking increases blood circulation, so that as you walk you oxygenate your brain, which enhances your energy production and releases endorphins that elevate mood and reduce depression,” said Fisher. “Studies show that seniors who walk regularly show significant improvement in memory, learning ability, concentration, abstract reasoning and less likelihood for overall age-related cognitive decline. Furthermore, regular walking greatly lessens the risk of stroke - by 57 percent in people who walked as little as 20 minutes a day according to one study (Prevention, October 1996).”

The relay - considered the longest walking event in the Pacific Northwest - features 24 legs, with each leg averaging between four and eight miles. The relay route will wind its way through some of the Willamette Valley's most scenic areas and encompass both flat and hilly terrain to appeal to beginners as well as to advanced walkers. Participants will pass through four parks, five counties (Marion, Polk, Linn, Benton and Lane), one wildlife refuge and eight Oregon towns - Gervais, Turner, Independence, Monmouth, Albany, Harrisburg, Junction City and Eugene.

Teams consisting of eight to 12 walkers can register for the 2006 Willamette Valley Relay now through June 1. The cost for team registration is $825. Teams are encouraged to enroll before May 15 to earn a $100 early bird discount. For registration details and information about training for the event with the WOW Walk Club, visit www.providence.org/Oregon and www.wondersofwalking.com.

# # #

Contact:
Kate Chester
503-216-7138
catherine.chester@providence.org

Providence Health System’s Providence Brain Institute cares for more stroke, multiple sclerosis and neurosurgery patients than any other health system in Oregon. The institute includes the Providence Stroke Center; the Providence Multiple Sclerosis Center; the Providence Epilepsy Center; the Providence ALS Center; the Gamma Knife Center of Oregon; and Providence Neurointerventional Services. For more information, visit www.providence.org/brain .