Nine years ago this month, Judith Cegielski thought she was going to die of congestive heart failure. Today she is very much alive and recently competed in the "Prediction walk" and the "Bake-off challenge" at SCH's Heart of Gold Games. And she was not alone.

While the Olympics were going on in Vancouver, more than 40 participants in SCH's Cardiac Rehabilitation programs, including Medical Fitness, competed in their own two-week, Olympic-style contest to promote fitness, fun and team building.

Participants in the Heart of Gold Games competed in nine events, all taking place at the Galter LifeCenter during regular Cardiac Rehab session times.The opening ceremonies took place on Monday, Feb. 22, and events continued until closing ceremonies and a heart healthy bake-off on Friday, March 5.

The top three overall finishers have qualifed to represent our hospital in the World Heart Games held in Atlanta in May, sponsored by the American College of Sports Medicine. The Cardiology department is funding this trip for the winning athletes. 

"We are always looking for ways to keep exercise fresh and exciting," said Chris Galvez (Cardiac Rehabilitation), who organized the event. "Events like triathlons, step challenges, walk-around-the-USA and the annual AHA Heart Walk create team building, enhance camaraderie, promote adherence to the program and encourage participants to challenge themselves."

Meet the athletes
If you attended the games, you may have met one of these top competitors:

Judith Cegielski, 62
Nine years ago, Judith Cegielski's heart was eight times the normal size and doctors recommended a heart transplant. She opted to try to work with her own heart, and through medication, cardiac rehab and diet change, her heart is now nearly normal size and she is living better than ever.

Jerry Farmer, 66
Jerry Farmer had open-heart surgery at SCH in 2006. Today he still struggles with blood pressure, but that is not stopping him from his three-times weekly workouts and the Heart of Gold competion. 

Update: Jerry was the top overall finisher at the Heart of Gold Games, and he enjoyed letting his friends in the competition know it through his light-hearted heckling. 

Luis Ruiz, 53
Three years ago, Luis Ruiz weighed 357 lbs. Today, at 198 lbs, he credits SCH's Cardiac Rehab program for saving his life and helping him overcome severe shyness. He feels he is part of a community which challenges him, holds him accountable and is fun. 

Bill Jurek, 59
Bill Jurek, a veteran Chicago broadcaster, has lost 63 lbs. in cardiac rehab since June 2009. He is blind, but has found "the perfect exercise routine," which suits his unique challenges, with the help of the cardiac rehab program and the Cardiac Rehab and GLC staff. In the Heart of Gold Games he gave the prediction row "the old college try."