Fifty-eight-year-old Stephen McLean has found a new lease of life thanks to the support provided by the cardiac rehabilitation unit at University Hospital Hairmyres.

In late 2018, Stephen underwent an angioplasty after tests revealed that he suffered from a weakened heart muscle due to a heart attack.  Since January 2019, Stephen has been part of the cardiac rehabilitation programme which has seen him join the unit’s walking programme to aid his recovery.

Stephen said: “The walking programme has been so beneficial – I’m a lot fitter and more aware now of not living such a sedentary life.  I’ve never felt better.”

Nursing staff from the cardiac rehabilitation unit initially started the walking programme to mark World Heart Day in 2017 and, since then, have walked an incredible 63 million steps – the equivalent of 29,829 miles.

In April 2019, they also began the ‘Loving our hearts to the moon and back’ walking programme to mark the 50^th Anniversary of ‘Man Walking on the Moon’. The enthusiasm has been so great that the nursing staff will continue the programme to mark this year’s World Heart Day.

As part of the recovery programme, patients are provided with fitbits or pedometers and log on to the ‘World Walking’ app, allowing them to record their physical activity which is then sent to the unit.  There are currently approximately 60 patients involved in the 12-week programme, with 20 patients having successfully completed and who still continue to walk as a way of maintaining a healthier lifestyle.

Stephen added: “The staff were absolutely fantastic.  They’ve been very supportive – any information I needed the team were able to provide me.”

Faye McSpurren, cardiac rehabilitation nurse, said: “We love the fact that our patients are continuing with the walking programme to complement their recovery, it helps them maintain a life-long healthy regime.”