Article originally published Summer 2019 in 监视器 杂志.
蒂姆·格雷厄姆, 61, will be the first to tell you that he’s no stranger to miracles. He is a cancer survivor and, 2018年11月, he became the proud and humbled recipient of the ultimate gift: a new heart.
个月后, he received another life-changing gift – the opportunity to participate in 12 weeks of cardiac rehabilitation, 花费最少, 穿过心脏 & 肺基金 at 澳门新葡新京.
“I’m very thankful for this program and the 心 & 肺基金,” said 蒂姆, who attends cardiac rehabilitation three times a week. “It’s amazing the amount of people 融合 helps.”
心脏 & 肺基金, an assistance program through the 融合 基金会, was created to eliminate the financial hurdle that may keep some patients from participating in rehabilitation. Cardiac rehab is a supervised exercise program designed specifically for patients with heart-related conditions who need help regaining their strength and endurance.
“We never want patients to have to make a choice between their health and their finances,斯蒂芬妮·杨说, 有氧健身团队领导. “Their job is to concentrate on getting healthy, not to worry about whether or not they can afford to get healthy.”
每年，心脏 & 肺基金 helps nearly 50 individuals receive the care they need in order to return to an active lifestyle – an impressive number that 融合 has every intention of increasing.
蒂姆 began his cardiac rehab sessions at 融合 before his heart transplant in October 2018. 当时, he had been working closely with his physicians at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center for nearly a decade to treat and manage his progressive heart disease. But when his health began to decline dramatically, 蒂姆’s cardiac rehabilitation was put on hold.
“I knew something was really wrong,” 蒂姆 said. “I could still walk and talk, but I didn’t look real good.”
在接下来的几周里, 蒂姆 met with his physicians at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and, 后不久, he was placed at the top of the organ transplant list. Within a matter of days, on Thanksgiving weekend, they found the perfect match: at 11:59 p.m. 11月. 26, 蒂姆 had a new heart beating in his chest.
“I honestly never thought I’d get a heart – I always thought there was someone out there needing it worse than I did,蒂姆回忆道.
As 蒂姆’s initial stretch of recovery came to a close, his next step of recovery was set to begin – again. Two months after his incredible procedure, 蒂姆继续他的12周疗程, 36期康复计划, which includes in-depth education classes in addition to medically monitored exercise.
“Since his heart transplant, I can see how much better he feels,” reported 融合 exercise physiologist Karmen Armstrong-Bolton. “蒂姆 is dedicated to working hard and getting stronger; it’s been a pleasure working with him.”
蒂姆, who’s looking forward to reclaiming his active lifestyle, agreed that he feels much better since he resumed his cardiac rehabilitation. “I just can’t thank those ladies enough,” 蒂姆 said of the cardiac rehab staff.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back on the golf course,” 蒂姆 smiled. “And I’m a car guy; I have some cars to restore that I never thought I’d get the chance to. I feel fortunate – I really am a new man.”
If you feel you may qualify to benefit from the 心 & 肺脏基金 740-687-8174 to discuss your options.