A 20-Year Anniversary
Phase 3 and 4 Cardiac Rehab at Genesis Celebrates Milestones
(Posted 12/11/06)

Twenty years ago, heart patients Vern Miller, Bill Hamilton, and Jack McCabe climbed on treadmills; altered their attitudes; and committed themselves to a lifetime of healthy habits to cope with their chronic disease. 

Two decades later, they're still exercising; still supporting each other; and still preaching the importance of "secondary prevention" in reducing future heart incidents. 

On December 7, 2006, the three men were honored at a Genesis Heart Institute event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Phase III and IV Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at Genesis Medical Center, Davenport.  The men were among the original 10 participants who joined that first year, in a program launched in 1986 at the Davenport Athletic Club by nurse Judy Chapman, R.N., and exercise physiologist Jan Treftz-Allen. 

Since the, 1.748 people have been involved in the program.  Currently, there are 230 active members in Phase III and IV programs, now held at the Bettendorf Family YMCA.  The oldest participant is 95; the youngest is 40. 

"All of you have brought with you to the program a massive wealth of knowledge and life experiences," Judy Chapman told participants at the celebration, held at Tanglewood Pavilion in Bettendorf.  "You have also embraced whoever joined our classes with unqualified acceptance and open arms.  Race, religion, or socioeconomic status did not matter.  You are kind, compassionate, considerate and caring people." 

Genesis Medical Center, Davenport, is the only hospital in the region to have four phases of cardiac rehabilitation.  Phase I rehabilitation begins while a patient is hospitalized.  Phase II is for patients in the first few months of post-hospitalization, and Phase III is a maintenance program of classes, exercise and heart monitoring.  Phase IV patients exercise with Phase III patients but are not monitored as intensely. 

"Over the last 20 years, we have had members with nosebleeds, chest pains, very fast heart rates, very slow heart rates and no heart rates.  We've had one cardiac arrest, which was successfully resolved, and several near misses," Chapman said.  "We have exercised together; laughed together; worn silly costumes together; eaten many treats together; celebrated birthdays and anniversaries; and supported each other in the death of our cardiac rehab friends and their family members.  I have learned so much from you about living life to the fullest and embracing every day." 

Honored for their longstanding commitment to cardiac rehab were: 
* Vernon Miller, one of the original 10 participants and the youngest of that group, joined cardiac rehab because of potentially lethal heart rhythms before the days of internal defibrillators.  He now has a pacemaker/defibrillator and five stents.  "Vernon keeps saying that one of these days he is quitting our program, but so far he keeps coming back," Chapman said. 

* "Wild Bill" Hamilton, joined the program after an open-heart procedure in 1986.  Today, the 74-year-old man still rides his yellow Honda motorcycle to class.  He has had a total of three open-heart procedures, eight stents, and a pacemaker/defibrillator in his chest.  "Bill is a great role model for all of us," Chapman said.  "He told me that his third open heart procedure was the easiest of them all post-operatively, and he attributed it to our exercise program."

* Jack McCabe, receives a lot of ribbing about his Halligan-McCabe Funeral Home business and is asked by his fellow rehab friends not to hand out his business cards.  Over 20 years, he has had a second open-heart operation.  "Jack is the Energizer Bunny when he is with us - he keeps going and going and going," Chapman said.  

Did You Know:
*  Only 10-20 percent of the 2 million people who have a non-fatal heart attack or undergo procedures for coronary artery disease each year attend cardiac rehabilitation programs, says the American Heart Association. 

*  Cardiac rehab helps improve blood vessel function, cardiovascular risk factors, coronary blood flow and electrical stability of the heart.  it reduces the risk of blood clots.  It also offers a network of support for patients.  "The camaraderie benefits them.  Some of our patients will joke 'We exercise our mouths more than we exercise our bodies,' but that interaction is very important," said Shari Gall, R.N., Manager of the Intensive Care Unit and Cardiac Rehab at the Genesis Medical Center, Illini Campus. 

*  In 2005, patients from Genesis' Davenport and Illini campuses made 72,430 visits to cardiac rehabilitation.  

-- by Linda Barlow, Genesis