“I had an uncle who had died at 55 from a massive heart attack, so I’ve kept up with [my heart health] because of family history,” said Mt. Airy native Joel Byers. “[In 2019,] my doctor found that one of my arteries was really clogged, so they put three stents in.”
Heart issues are common in the Byers family. His father, Jerry Byers, has suffered multiple heart attacks. In 2022, Dr. Stuart Sanders, his father’s doctor, convinced both the Byers’ to participate in the World Heart Games (WHG), an Olympic-style tournament that provides two days of team-based and individual competition for those who have experienced a cardiopulmonary event or live with risk factors.
“My dad and I are at the age where [the games] give us a reason to get out and move,” Byers said. “It gives you a little incentive to get out there, participate, and hopefully win.”
The games are set to kick off on Friday and Saturday, June 20-21, and will take place on the campuses of Tallulah Falls School and Piedmont University. All skill levels are welcomed to participate in a way that they are physically comfortable, according to the WHG website.
Sanders, the medical director of Habersham Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and WHG chairman, said the idea for the tournament started with the Heart of Gold Games in the 1990s. Cardiac rehabilitation programs across the state would send teams to compete in friendly competitions based out of Atlanta.
“I saw how great the Heart of Gold games were for our patients and athletes, and I was in a great position to do this nationally and internationally,” Sanders said. “The World Heart Games are a way of showing patients that they can still have fun and still be an athlete. Our motto is ‘reclaiming the joy of sports.'”
Sanders took pride in the tournament being an Olympics-like event. Winning participants of the receive gold, silver, and bronze medals, similar to Olympians.
“Years ago, we had a severe emphysema that loved the games so much that when he died, he was buried with his medals that he won at the WHG,” he said.
On Friday, the games are scheduled from 2 – 6 p.m. following the opening ceremony at 1 p.m. at Loudermilk Baseball Field. The tournament will continue on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. An awards ceremony will close out the games following the last event.
Individual events offered during the WHG include bowling, disc golf, horseshoes, table tennis, and more. Team-based events include cornhole, golf (2-man scramble), pickleball (doubles), tennis (doubles), and volleyball. All events will take place at Piedmont with the exception of swimming, tennis, and table tennis. The three events will instead be hosted at Tallulah Falls School.
Online registration for the WHG has ended. To learn more about the event, visit the WHG website.
