10 September 2010
Big 10 event results in big £5k donation to charity
A fundraising event held at the University of Dundee in June to mark the 10th anniversary of a cardiac health programme has raised more than £5000 for heart disease research and rehabilitation.
In June, members of the Institute of Sports and Exercise’s Phase IV Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme put their fitness to the test in the Big 10 Event aimed at raising funds for British Heart Foundation research being carried out at the University and to support Phase IV training developments at ISE.
Joining them in the charity challenge were members of ISE’s Type 2 Diabetes classes and seniors members and, in total, they raised £5153. Professor Allan Struthers, lead researcher in the Heart of Discovery Research Appeal will benefit from £pound2576 of funding, and he was on hand at ISE today to meet and thank the participants.
The remaining money will be used to put instructors at ISE through further Phase IV training.
Each participant chose a cardiovascular challenge from a Big 10 Menu which included walking 10,000 steps around campus, completing 10k or 10 miles on a bike, treadmill, rowing machine or cross trainer in the gym, swimming 100 lengths, walking or exercising for 100 minutes or dancing and walking 10,000 steps.
Hazel Ednie, Active Living Programme manager at ISE praised all those who took part. "This was an outstanding effort from all 70 participants who signed up," she said. "The members really put in the effort to rise to the physical challenge at ISE, and helped raise a lot of money in the process.
"Everyone at ISE is very proud of the members and can see the benefit to the members health and fitness as they continue to attend ISE's exercise programme.
"These members are a fantastic role model to anyone affected by diabetes or heart disease. Being active has such a positive outcome to our members health and wellbeing."
In the ten years since the Phase IV programme first began, around 450 patients have been referred to ISE by the cardiac rehabilitation team at Ninewells Hospital, and the programme has enjoyed great success in changing lives and boosting activity levels.
The phases refer to the different stages of care a patient receives following their illness. Phase I is hospitalisation, Phase II is following hospital discharge when the patient is still under the care of a GP and cardiac nurse and Phase III is when patients receive education and exercise under the supervision of a cardiac physiotherapist.
Phase IV is community-based exercise to support and maintain a patient’s heart health and includes weekly classes, monthly education workshops and activity taster sessions.
Prior to the establishment of the Dundee class, the nearest similar rehab programme was in Glasgow.
The Heart of Discovery Appeal helps to fund research carried out by Professor Struthers into "silent" heart disease. The research is aiming to develop a simple blood test that could potentially save the lives of millions of people across the world.
Allan Struthers, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Dundee, is conducting the BHF work which will benefit from the funds raised.
"Only with hard earned money funding research will we beat heart disease," he said. "This is yet another wonderful effort on behalf of the Tayside community towards helping their local University to overcome the scourge of heart disease.
"Congratulations to all involved. I can assure all that the preliminary results from our BHF funded research are very encouraging and that these funds will be very well spent in pursuing this research further."
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277 |
