Daughter of Darryl Kile raising heart health awareness during Phillies-Pirates series finale

A lot of heart will be on display Thursday afternoon when the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. The focus will not only be on the field but also on fans and their health.

Sierra Kile's father, MLB pitcher Darryl Kile, died at age 33 due to a heart attack. She was just 5 years old at the time. Now, more than 20 years later, she's raising awareness about elevated bad cholesterol and how that may increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. It's all part of the Playing with Heart campaign. The initiative, in collaboration with Merck and WomenHeart, was inspired by the sudden passing of Kile's father.

"Knowing that he was supposed to start in a game the next day, he was found in his hotel room," Kile said. "It's just really sad to think about. And I know being able to carry on his legacy in a way that isn't just revolving around baseball is really meaningful for me and my family."

More than 800,000 heart attacks happen every year, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The Playing with Heart campaign is encouraging baseball fans to learn their LDL-C number, also known as bad cholesterol. Elevated LDL-C can contribute to plaque buildup in the arteries and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Kile hopes those who hear her story will talk to their doctor.

"Get to your doctor early and learn about your cholesterol because you could feel fine," she says. "I mean, he was a professional baseball player and still had a really high level of cholesterol. You don't really know what's going on in your body until you speak to a doctor."

World Series champions Charlie Manuel and Jimmy Rollins will also join Kile at Citizens Bank Park to spread awareness. Rollins recently lost his own father to heart disease.

Manuel and Rollins will meet with fans in the left field plaza area. Kile and Playing with Heart will also be there, providing more information.

To learn more, check out Playing with Heart.

First pitch against the Pirates is set for 12:35 p.m.