Evesham Cardiac Rehab charity (UK)

"A county cardiac rehabilitation unit which was set up 18 months ago has launched a charity arm to help ensure its survival. The facility in Evesham was founded by town councillor Gerry O’Donnell, who spearheaded a campaign to establish the unit in Evesham after experiencing its benefits first-hand. He had been working on a fatal accident inquiry in Scotland when he suffered a heart attack in the final week of the investigation. Once discharged from hospital, he discovered that a pioneer of community-based cardiac rehabilitation, Dr Hugh Bethell, practised in his local surgery and he was assigned to his rehabilitation programme. Research has shown that those who suffer from heart problems, either from a heart attack or through disease, can find themselves more distressed and are often told to 'take it easy'. But Dr Bethell's approach flew in the face of traditional practices by reasoning that as some of the heart's muscles had been damaged, it was vital to build up the remaining muscle as the demands placed upon it would be greater...