As thousands get their hearts pumping during the Buffalo Marathon and other events, there is one race aimed at celebrating the body's center of its circulatory system — the Heart-to-Heart Relay.

Teams of two-to-four have pledged $1,000 to help cardiac programs at Buffalo General Medical Center and the Gates Vascular Institute. The money will also help the fight against heart disease.

It's a fight that's personal for Kelly Naab.

At 35, she suffered a stroke. Doctors then found she had a hole in her heart. Naab eventually underwent a cardiac catheterization.

She's an avid runner and pledged to not slow down after her medical incident, while also raising awareness for medical care right here at home.

"It's easy to get frustrated and sad and ask 'why is this happening to me,' but I knew I could overcome this just like anything else," said Naab, Team Grateful Warrior. "Life can change in a day, it did for me twice, but I wasn't going to let it slow me down. So, setting goals and moving forward were a big part of helping me get through everything that I went through."

Naab has since completed the Buffalo Marathon in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Naab says anyone who is dealing with an unexpected medical issue should push forward and do the same.

You can still register for the Heart-to-Heart-Relay online.