Jim Mason, of Stewartstown, is like many retired grandfathers. He enjoys riding bikes with his grandchildren, tinkering on his tractor, and enjoying time with his wife.
And while these things may seem simple to most, for Mason they are a testament to how far he has come with his heart health in the nearly three decades since he began a journey that he started at WellSpan Health.
“I had never been to a doctor for any health issues, and then in 1993 I was in my mid-40s and I had high cholesterol and then had a positive stress test,” the 74-year-old said. “Almost immediately, I had bypass surgery and that prevented me from ever having a heart attack.”
The surgery, though, left Mason with an “extensive recovery” period, and he had to complete a 12-week rehabilitation program. Overall, he was out of work from February-November of 1993.
He did that recovery and rehabilitation with WellSpan Health and Heart & Vascular.
“It was instrumental to my health that I had that cardiac rehab,” Mason said. “I was working for AT&T in D.C. at the time, and I worked long, hard hours. I would have never been able to do that if I had not fully recovered and regained my strength after the bypass surgery, and I regained that strength solely because of the care I received at the cardiovascular rehab center.”
Mason needed another surgery in 2015 to place a stentin the left side of his heart, and then anotherin 2016 to place three stentsin the right side. Each of those surgeries required rehabilitation to regain strength in his legs and chest.
He has completed four rehab programs with WellSpan.
Currently, there is no blood flow to the right side of Mason’s heart, so he must be seen frequently for stress tests.
WellSpan recently openedanewheart andvascularcenterthat will bring togetherphysiciansandadvanced specialtycare under one roof in York County.
Thenewcenter will provide patients with comprehensive state-of-the-art cardiovascular care as well as programs that promote healthy eating and exercise.
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WellSpan Cardiology, WellSpan Cardiac Surgery and WellSpan Vascular surgery willbe located inthis facility, as will supporting outpatient cardiovascular services, including the WellSpan Heart Failureand the cardiac rehabilitation programs.
Non-invasive procedures, such as echocardiograms and vascular ultrasound, will also be performedat the center.
It will offer a cooking demonstration kitchenwhere patients and families can learn how to prepare heart-healthy meals, awalking trail thatencircles the building, and even arooftop garden.
“This center, and theamazing effort tocompleteitduringthe pandemic, is a testament to howcriticallyimportantadvancedcardiovascularcare is atWellSpan Health,” saysRoxannaGapstur, Ph.D., R.N., president and CEO, WellSpan Health.“Our highly-skilled teamsnow have a space towork collaboratively to keep our patients a healthy step aheadand we are excited to share it with them.”
The $33 million, two-story,60,520 square-foot centeris expected to serve 70,000 patients, according toChris Lipp, vice president of the cardiovascular service line.
It is located next to the Apple Hill Health Campus in York Townshipand officially opened on May 3, after two years of construction.
History of Apple Hill:
“Our team of expert physicians and clinicians save lives every single dayusing complex and leading-edge procedures, right here in South Central Pennsylvania.And it is thatteamworkand collaborationthat makes the difference,” saidDr. James HarveyIII, interventional cardiologist and director of the Structural Heart Program.“Despite the pandemic, heart disease remains the leading killer in the United States.”
Heart disease is the leading killer
Heart disease isn’t just the leading killer in the nation - it is also the leading killer in Pennsylvania. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, there were 31,353 deaths due to diseases of the heart in 2014.
That same year, there were 294 cases of heart disease per 100,000 residents, ages35 and older, in York County, according to the department of health.
By comparison, there were 339 cases of heart disease per 100,000 residents in Adams County, 354 per 100,000 in Lebanon County, 320 per 100,000 in Franklin County, and 349 per 100,000 in Dauphin County, aged 35 and older.
Heart disease is the second-leading cause of death in York County in the 45-64 age group, according to the York County Community Foundation, and it has increased each year since 2012. It is the leading cause of death among those 65 and older in York, according to the foundation.
About a third of York County residents report having high cholesterol and about 40 percent report having high blood pressure, according to a recent community health assessment.
Only about 4 percent of those residents eat three servings of vegetables daily, and only 15-20 percent of residents engage in a half-hour of exercise five days a week.
When Jim Mason had his first bypass surgery, he said his surgeon told him that York County was a “goldmine for heart surgeons” because of the number of cases of heart diseases in the region.
“I’ve been around to many places, and we have one of the best heart health systems right here in York. You just have to be willing to let the doctors help you,” he said.
Mason said that with this new facility, heart patients in the region will have one central location to go for all of their heart-health needs.
The grandfather of three said that while it is convenient to have this new site, it also brings him a sense of security.
“Just knowing that there are good people that are going to be there to help you when you need them - that’s really the best thing about it,” he said
For more information, visitWellSpan.org/WHVC.
