As 2022 drew to a close, Rod Alm was in a dark place. He had, in his own words, let himself go. He was badly out of shape and experiencing irregular heartbeats. “I was despairing, thinking I was going to die a lot younger than I thought, and it was my fault,” he recalls. Today, Rod, who is 71, refers to his first meeting with members of the VGH Centre for Cardiovascular Health’s multidisciplinary team in December 2022 as the day his life completely changed.

“Now I have hope and a lot of good reasons to live.” – Rod Alm

The VGH Centre for Cardiovascular Health is a comprehensive risk reduction program for individuals who have had a heart attack, coronary angioplasty, open heart surgery, angina, who have heart rhythm issues, and for those who are at risk for developing heart disease. Following a procedure to restore his heartbeat to a normal rhythm, Rod enrolled in the comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program, which included medication, counselling, dietary and exercise changes. Since 2022, with perseverance and positivity, he has climbed a vertical distance equivalent to summiting Mt. Everest six times and has walked a distance that would take him from Victoria to Quebec City.

For 25 years, the VGH Centre for Cardiovascular Health has relied on its annual Have a Healthy Heart fundraiser and support from donors like you to deliver services that define the forefront of clinical care and medical technology. Philanthropy like yours is used to subsidize cardiac rehabilitation program fees (to the tune of $40,000 annually), to purchase and maintain exercise equipment, to fund specialty programs like dietary and counselling and wellness workshops, and to support staff education and professional development.

The Centre’s reach is broadened through its Happy Hearts Alliance, a powerful partnership between the VGH Centre for Cardiovascular Health and community organizations such as the Vancouver Park Board, facilitating the delivery of services in locations across our communities. This enables the Centre to provide cardiac wellness programs that are accessible and closer to home, impacting the lives of thousands of families in our communities.

Thanks to donor support, many people with heart disease are enjoying, as Rod says, “a new lease on life”, and looking forward to a future that would not be possible without your generosity.

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在2022年接近尾声时，Rod Alm遇上 了人生的低谷。他的健康严重衰退， 出现了心律不正的状况，祉Rod丧失 了求生的意志。他回忆道:「我陷入 了绝境，以为我会比预期更早地死 去，这是我自己一手做成的错。」 他 回忆地说。
今天，71岁的Rod回想起2022年12月 与VGH心血管中心跨学科医疗团队 的第一次会面，让他的人生完全改变 的一天。

「现在我有了希望，也有很 多美好的理由继续活下去。」 – Rod Alm

温哥华综合医院心血管健康中心拥 有 一个全面降低心脏病风险的计 划，为患有心脏病、及曾经历冠状动 脉通血管手术、开心手术、心绞痛、 或有心律问题的病人，以及有高心脏 病风险的人提供服务。Rod 在手术后心律回复正常，参加 了全面的心脏复康计划，包括药物 治疗、咨询辅导、改变饮食和运动习 惯。自2022年以来，凭借毅力和积极 乐观的心态，他已经攀登了相当于六 倍珠穆朗玛峰的高度，并步行了相等 于从维多利亚到魁北克市的距离。

25年来，温哥华综合医院心血管健 康中心一直有赖每年的 「Have a Healthy Heart 拥有健康心脏」 筹 款活动和像您这样的善长的慷慨支 持，提供临床护理和医疗最前瞻的 服务。您的善款用于资助心脏复康 计划费用 (每年高达4万元)、购买和 保养运动设备、资助饮食咨询、心理 咨询和健康讲座，以及支持医护人员 的教育和专业发展。

温哥华综合医院心血管健康中心的 服务范围有赖其 「Happy Hearts Alliance 快乐心脏联盟」得以扩 展，这是该中心与温哥华公园局等社 区组织的强大合作伙伴关系，促进 了在社区各个地域的服务。并使该中 心能够提供更加方便和离家更近的 心脏健康计划，对我们社区数千个 家庭的生活起了重大的影响。

衷心感谢善长们的支持，许多心脏病 人都能够如Rod所说，「重获新生」 ，并期待着一个因为有您们无私奉 献的未来。