SIR – I would like to thank all those who took part in our Help A Heart community walk on Sunday, September 22, and also all who gave so generously to our fund-raising effort.
There are more than 1.8 million people living with heart disease in England, and about 34,000 die prematurely of cardiac and circulatory disease every year.
Organisations such as the British Heart Foundation undertake marvellous work in the field of research, however cardiac rehabilitation is at the front line of care and recovery.
Cardiac rehab helps to return victims of heart attacks and other cardiac conditions to a normal and fulfilling life, whether that means going back to work or enjoying retirement.
It introduces a new lifestyle, strenghthens the heart muscle, and gives confidence after the trauma of a heart attack or related event.
Cardiac rehab is not just about supervised exercise based rehabilitation, but it also addresses lifestyle issues such as diet, stress, medication, and the psychological effects of a heart attack or other cardiac event. All of this is now delivered by Evesham Vale Cardiac Rehab in the wonderful facility at Evesham leisure centre.
Our fund-raising goes towards paying for the accommodation, some key equipment, and in promoting the facility throughout the Vale.
With rehab classes beginning to grow, we may soon also have to fund additional resources. Without this local provision, vital access to cardiac rehab would be limited, with patients in Evesham having to travel to Worcester, Redditch or Kidderminster.
Evesham Vale Cardiac Rehab epitomises health in the community.
Our vision is to build a facility, an extension to the leisure centre possibly, that can cater for all exercise-based rehabilitation. This would mean not only cardiac rehab, but stroke rehab, and other conditions that would benefit such as diabetes, blood pressure, obesity and stress-related conditions. The patients referred on discharge from hospital, or by their GP, could all attend the one rehab centre.
Of course this requires co-operation from the clinicians and GPs, and we are already in discussions about the best way forward.
To build such a facility will require substantial funds, and so our fund-raising efforts will need to double in intensity, and reap greater rewards.
GERRY O'DONNELL
Chairman, Evesham Vale Cardiac Rehab
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