Record-breaking Jim aims high after bypass surgery

AN Anglesey man who underwent a quintuple heart bypass has thanked the council’s leisure service staff for helping him on the road to recovery.

Little did Jim Walker suspect that a strange feeling across his chest was, in fact, a heart attack and that he would undergo a mammoth seven-hour lifesaving operation at Liverpool’s Broadgreen Hospital to unblock all five major vessels in his heart.

Jim, who lives in Rhosneigr, did not smoke and regularly attended the gym at Holyhead Leisure Centre before becoming ill in January 2016.

Last October, he completed the challenge of walking to the summit of Snowdon and raised funds to help buy a defibrillator for Holyhead, Amlwch and Llangefni leisure centres.

Jim now holds the record for being the first person to have undergone a quintuple heart bypass and to have reached the summit of Snowdon.

He explained: “I was very weak after the operation, but determined to make the most of this second chance.

“I was referred to the County Council’s National Exercise Referral Scheme (NERS) Team at Holyhead Leisure Centre. They were fantastic and the exercise programme I received has played a huge part in my recovery. I can’t thank Anglesey Council and its leisure service staff enough.

“Without the support of the amazing team of staff I’ve met along my rehabilitation journey I wouldn’t have been able to walk up Snowdon, in fact I wouldn’t be walking anywhere! I took on this challenge to show people that it’s not the end of the world if you have a medical problem. You can recover and recover well, too.”

Jim added: “Taking on the Snow- don challenge was my way of saying ‘thank you’ to everyone who has helped me throughout my rehabilitation and giving something back to the community. I’d also like to thank my main sponsor, Richard G Parry.”

Among those who have supported Jim is Anglesey Leisure Service exercise referral professional, John Earnshaw.

John, who joined him on his epic walk, said: “The NERS scheme provides a high-quality supervised exercise programme to improve health and wellbeing at all of our leisure centres. Jim’s recovery has been remarkable and the Anglesey NERS team is pleased to have played a role.”

Leisure portfolio holder, Cllr Carwyn Jones, said: “It’s fantastic that we now have this vital life-saving equipment at our leisure centres in Holyhead, Amlwch and Llangefni thanks to Jim’s fundraising and generosity. Jim’s story is remarkable and I’m delighted our team of professionals has been there to support him.”

There is also a defibrillator at the David Hughes Leisure Centre in Menai Bridge and the Canolfan Beaumaris social enterprise.

Jim presented County Council Chairman, Cllr Dylan Rees, with a cheque for £2,000 towards the defibrillators.