Supergran Shares Important Message on World Heart Day To Improve Scotland’s Heart Health 29 September 2022 90-year-old heart attack survivor says twice-weekly workouts are what’s keeping her alive Liz Ramsay, 90, known as Supergran to her five great-grandchildren, is spreading an important message on World Heart Day (29 September). She’s sharing her story to encourage others across the country to move more and stay active to keep your heart healthy. People who do regular physical activity can reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke by up to 35%. Liz who lives in Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire suffered a heart attack 20 years ago, and she has never forgotten the doctor’s parting words as she left hospital: don’t go home and sit in a chair. Liz, 90, took the words very much to heart. She joined the Lochwinnoch Hearties keep-fit group, a Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland peer support group for those with heart conditions. Two decades on, Liz is still attending the group’s twice-weekly keep-fit sessions. Supergran Liz Fondly referred to as Auntie by her chums at the Hearties, Liz says the twice-weekly workouts are what’s keeping her alive. Liz says: “I was in hospital after my heart attack, and I’d finished the rehab. The doctor said to me ‘now you don’t go home and just sit in a chair’. He was right. I’d never have got back up out of the chair. “My niece took me along to the keep-fit, and I’ve been going ever since! She introduced me as Auntie, so now everyone calls me that. Going there has kept me going and kept me moving. It’s kept me alive. “My other name is Supergran. That’s what my great-grandchildren call me. Everyone smiles when I’m in the shop with one of the wee ones and they shout ‘Supergran!’.” Despite being just three months short of her 91st birthday, Liz has no plans to slow down. Having recovered from Covid-19, which she contracted during a visit to her son in Bournemouth, she is still suffering from fluid on the lungs. But even that doesn’t deter her from activities that include driving to those twice-weekly keep-fit classes, stints at the WI, helping out at ROAR (Reaching Older Adults in Renfrewshire) and attending the annual RNLI dinner. Going there has kept me going and kept me moving. It’s kept me alive. She says, “I’m not one for moaning and complaining. You make yourself older when you complain, that’s what I think. After my heart attack, they used to call me into the hospital every year to check up on me. They don’t bother with that now, but that’s because I’m doing all the right things.” Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland has more than 140 peer support groups like the Lochwinnoch Hearties for people living with chest, heart and stroke conditions, and many focus on physical activity and keeping active. Two decades on, Liz is still attending the group’s twice-weekly keep-fit sessions. Frances Tait, the charity’s Physical Activity Specialist, is echoing Liz’s important message. She says, “Accessing the right physical activity advice and support is very important for anyone who has experienced a life changing health diagnosis or event. Physical activity can help us to be functionally fit and mobile, independent and confident. It can also help with recovery from a life changing event, help to manage your symptoms and can also help to reduce the risks of a further event happening. “Many people feel unsure about which activities they can do, how long they should do them for and which ones are safe for them to do. At CHSS we can have a chat with individuals and help support them to make the right choices to access safe and effective physical activity options for them. “Listening to your body and knowing your own limitations is important and this can vary from one person to another. Even small chunks of movement can accumulate throughout the day, so the less we sit and the more we move the better. Make sure to choose an activity or hobby which you enjoy, one which is comfortably challenging and try to focus more on what you can still do today rather than perhaps what you used to do.” At CHSS we can have a chat with individuals and help support them to make the right choices to access safe and effective physical activity options for them. The charity provides a range of physical activity opportunities through their peer support groups as well as virtual physical activity sessions and walking groups. If you’d like to get in touch with Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland to find out more about the support they have available to help you make positive changes to your health, contact their Advice Line on 0808 801 0899 or email adviceline@chss.org.uk