OSU Students Deliver Valentine Cards for Cardiac Rehab Week February 16, 2022 Members of Oregon State University’s Sigma Delta Omega sorority kicked off cardiac rehab week by delivering dozens of Valentine cards to Good Samaritan’s cardiac rehabilitation unit. “It’s really neat to know at a university level that they are thinking of us through a time like this,” said Quinn Griffis, manager of Samaritan’s cardiac and rehabilitation Corvallis and Albany locations. “We’ve been looking at all these cards. We’ve been hanging them on the wall today.” Words like “Rain or Shine, you’re my Valentine” on the outside and “Wishing you everything that makes you happiest, today and always” were shared with staff and patients in the rehab facility. “That they are thinking of health care workers and knowing we are going through hard times, it’s a really special tribute that they’re making for our department,” Griffis said. Cardiac rehab week this year is celebrated Feb. 13 to 19. According to the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, cardiac diseases are some of the leading causes of death around the world. Understanding the signs and symptoms of heart disease can be a big challenge. For those who suffer from heart disease, cardiac rehabilitation improves health and physical performance for those at risk. “The most important things that I would tell a patient is to come to cardiac rehab after you have had a heart event,” said Griffis. “You are not going to know your safety limits or know what your heart is capable of doing unless you come to a program like this.” The week focuses on those in medically supervised programs for people who have had a heart attack, heart failure, heart valve surgery, coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous coronary intervention. “We’ve got experts that are here in the care of your heart,” Griffis said. “We have clinical exercise physiologists that are trained to help you recover from heart events.” In between their exercise routines, patients looked at cards hung on the wall while staff browsed through a pile awaiting distribution. One of the cards summed up the sorority’s feeling for the heart staff. “Sending you Love, You have immense strength, courage, and you are loved.” “I just think it is really special that they are thinking of us,” said Griffis. “I just thank them very much for thanking our department.”
