The Comox Valley chapter of the First Open Heart Society’s president Anne Poole presents a cheque for $7,500 to Katie Maximick from the Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation. The money raised at this year’s Walk for Hearts will go towards Cardiac Care Initiatives in the community.
On June 5, the Comox Valley Chapter of the First Open Heart Society (FOHS) hosted its 10th Annual Walk for Hearts (formerly known as the Walk-a-Thon) at the Florence Filberg Centre to help raise awareness and funds for heart-health education and programs in the Comox Valley.
Dozens of individuals, healthcare workers, recreational teams and businesses like RBC came out to support this year’s Walk for Hearts, and helped raise an incredible $7,500 to support the FOHS and Comox Valley cardiac care initiatives.
“The majority of the money we raise at our Walk for Hearts is dedicated to St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation (now Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation) for cardiac care initiatives, most recently with an emphasis on the new and very successful Take Heart & Breathe Well cardio-pulmonary wellness program,” said Bernie Poole on behalf of FOHS president Anne Poole.
The Take Heart Breathe Well cardio-pulmonary wellness program is a physician approved and health-professional supervised 12-week education module and exercise program held at the Comox Community Centre. Its goal is to support clients with heart disease and/or lung disease to exercise safely, improve quality of life and live healthier lives.
The FOHS is a support group for anyone who has had a cardiac procedure or is about to have a cardiac procedure, including their spouse and family members. They meet on the third Wednesday of each month at the Comox Community Centre, and have guest speakers who provide information on topics such as pharmaceuticals, cardiac nurses and physicians, therapy, emergency response and first aid.
“When someone comes home after a cardiac procedure for the first time, they are at a loss,” Poole explained, “So they benefit greatly from our group by being able to ask questions and get answers from others in our group who have ‘been there and done that.’”
Since 2007, the Walk for Hearts has raised well over $63,000 for heart health in the Comox Valley.
To learn more about the Take Heart & Breathe Well cardio-pulmonary wellness program, contact the Comox Community Centre at (250) 339-2255 or drop by, 1855 Noel Avenue, Comox.
To learn more about the First Open Heart Society visit www.fohs.ca.
RBC sent a large team to participate in this year’s Walk for Hearts, along with a donation of $2,000 for the First Open Heart Society!
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