Staff and patients from the Cardio Rehab team at East Cheshire NHS Trust recently took part in their annual fundraising challenge, which raised over £1000.
Friends and relatives also joined the team on 14th May to walk the six-mile route on the Middlewood Way, a sponsored event which was started in 1992 by a patient who had set himself a goal to raise some money as a thank you to the cardiac rehab staff who had treated him.
The team, based at Macclesfield District General Hospital, have carried on his work and although the challenge had to be suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have walked every year since then. Paula Spray, Cardiac Rehab Lead Nurse, said “it was fabulous to resume our annual cardiac rehab walk. The walk is always great fun and is a lovely opportunity to catch up with patients past and present and their families. The money raised is an added bonus and it has allowed us to provide additional equipment and training to enhance patient care.”
The Cardiac Rehab team look after patients who have had heart attacks, heart surgery or procedures and those who live with the long-term condition of heart failure. The department promotes patient recovery and works alongside you to restore you to as full a life as possible following a diagnosis of coronary heart disease.
Myra Harding, Cardiac Rehab Secretary said, “It’s been a privilege to take part in the event. Our patient’s donations have funded rehabilitation aids and specialist training for our clinical staff that otherwise we would not have been able to fund. As an office based member of the team it is fantastic to meet and walk with the people who ring us for help and advice and it’s a testament to the team how many ex-patients still support us by walking and raising money many years after completing the cardiac rehab programme.”
The team are so grateful and would like to thank everyone that took part and donated in the event. Glen Hopkin, the Exercise Facilitator for the department wrote a poem to express his gratitude:
The Cardiac Rehab walk took place on a beautiful day
A six and a half mile walk down the Middlewood Way
A perfect way to improve physical fitness and mood
We had a few cheers but at least nobody booed
An ideal opportunity to reflect and pause
Even better it was all in a good cause
Many thanks to everyone that took part
And most important of all keep looking after your heart!
East Cheshire NHS Charity helps East Cheshire NHS Trust go the extra mile for its staff, patients and service users. They achieve this through research, training, enhanced facilities and cutting-edge medical equipment over and above what the NHS funds.