Two decades and counting: Grace's dedication to heart health and giving back

Grace pictured with leftover blocks from a quilt she made for a raffle done in support of heart month in 2014.

Dedication is something Grace knows all too well. She is a dedicated aunt and great aunt who is known for the cherished quilts she gifts her nieces and nephews as they turn 50 and to her great nieces and nephews as they graduate, a longtime supporter of Ascension Wisconsin Foundation and – for the past 28 years – a dedicated participant of the Preventative Health and Wellness program at Ascension All Saints.

Grace’s connection to the cardiac rehab program began in 1998 when she was 45 years old. Grace recalls experiencing frequent neck pain that would come and go, but was not overly worried about it at the time. It wasn’t until her sister-in-law quizzed her that she realized it was a symptom of a much larger problem.

“It was kind of a scary time,” Grace remembers. “I didn’t have a heart attack, but I had pain and I didn’t know what it was. I was out on a walk through the woods with my sister-in-law and she asked me, ‘what’s the matter with you? You’re not keeping up.’ I told her how I get a little pain in my neck and I have to stop and stretch, but then I can go again. She is a nurse so fortunately she knew right away what the issue was.” 

Thanks to the encouragement of her sister-in-law and brother, Grace decided to get her heart checked, and soon discovered she needed to have bypass surgery. Grace knew her family had a history of heart disease, but was unaware of the impact it would have on her own life. It unlocked a new motivation in Grace to take better care of her heart and health. 

Grace’s bypass surgery was successful, and she started participating in cardiac rehab the following month. She has participated in the program consistently ever since. 

“I have been there pretty regularly since then,” Grace shared. “Sometimes I was out for work reasons, or other injuries, but I kept going, even through cancer treatment in 2001. It didn’t stop me. The care and compassion of all the rehab staff … they keep encouraging you, and motivate you to keep coming to the program.”

The cardiac rehab team at Ascension All Saints helped Grace regain strength and take control of her health through regular movement and exercise. The program also gave her a community of people to lean on through all of life’s ups and downs.  

When Grace was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001, she was determined to get back to the cardiac rehab program to be back among her support group and friends. 

Today, Grace attends the cardiac rehab program two times a week where she enjoys walking on the track, riding the bike or lifting weights. 

“People ask me, ‘you're still going to rehab? Why?’ and I say because it’s my exercise program,” Grace shared. “The cardiac rehab program has helped give me a better outlook on life. You go, get your exercise done and you feel better after doing it. I always say that the worst exercise is getting there. Once you get there, and get into the routine, you feel better because you’re moving. It becomes a habit. You got to do your exercise. Keep young at heart.”

Grace is thankful for the care she has received at the cardiac rehab program, and has expressed that gratitude by making an annual donation in support of the program that has given her so much. 

When asked why she has given back to heart care at Ascension All Saints for the past 25 years, Grace said, "Because I got great care, so I want to give it back. I want to make sure that it continues on. That’s why I keep giving.”