Sally Smith is a healthy and active woman, so when she began feeling fatigue, chest pain, and trouble breathing, she hesitated seeking medical help. A heart attack crossed her mind, but she dismissed the thought. 

Eventually, after trips to the grocery store and library, her husband convinced her to visit Cherokee Medical Center. 

To her surprise, doctors explained that she had suffered a heart attack and there was 90% blockage in one of her arteries. 

“That was such a shock. They said, ‘Mrs. Smith, you’re blessed that you got in here, because normally if that gets blocked then within minutes, you’re in trouble.’ God saved me for some reason,” Smith said. 

A stent was put in and days later she was referred to the cardiac rehab program at Cherokee Medical Center. 

While nervous to try the rehab program at first, Smith said it put her back on the right track toward a healthy and active lifestyle. 

“I was hesitant about going at first, but everyone was very encouraging and welcoming,” she said. “They took such good care of me.” 

The staff took time and attention to explain everything, providing her with educational information about fitness and nutrition and sharing her progress every step of the way. 

Smith went three times per week for an hour each visit until her program was complete. She now goes to the YMCA regularly to keep up with her exercise regimen. 

“When you go in, you meet other people going through the same thing you had gone through, so it makes you realize you’re not alone,” she said. “I made a lot of friends.” 

The new cardiac rehab program opened at Cherokee Medical Center just weeks before Smith’s heart attack. Being so close to her home in Gaffney, it was easy and convenient for her to get to her appointments and stay motivated. 

“The convenience was really needed,” she said. 

Part of Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System’s cardiovascular and pulmonary rehab program, the new rehab center includes state-of-the-art exercise equipment, nurses and staff who work one-on-one with patients for exercise therapy, dietary counseling, individualized treatment plans and cardiac education. 

Stacie Snyder, Spartanburg Regional’s cardiac rehabilitation program manager, said adding cardiac rehab services at Cherokee Medical Center has been one way to remove barriers to better health and help patients access care close to home. 

“There are lots of reasons people may not attend a program after a referral. By adding this, we’re putting resources closest to people to reduce those barriers,” she said. 

Smith now enjoys continuing to be a mother and grandmother and hosting her family for weekly Sunday dinners. 

“I can’t say anything but good things about the educational part of it and the mental part of it. They tried to do everything they could to help,” Smith said. “You needed that support because after you have an event, you need to see that other people are going through the same thing. You’re not the only one.”