Rangers support Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland

Rangers support Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland

Borna Barišić has helped the Rangers Charity Foundation announce Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) as the new National Charity Partner for Season 2018/19. The Foundation pledge to raise £20,000 for CHSS as part of the partnership to pay to support 20 of the charity’s Rehabilitation Support Service volunteers and to fund 600 hours of its Advice Line service.

CHSS cares for and supports people and their families after a stroke, or diagnosis of a chest or heart condition. From helping stroke survivors rebuild their confidence and learn new skills to ensure that people with chronic respiratory and heart conditions find a lifeline through its vital services, CHSS is focused on making sure that everyone gets the support they need to live life to the full.

The charity’s Rehabilitation Support Service provides advice, information and practical help and support to people and their families through one-to-one and group support in the community. Its Advice Line is a free, confidential service staffed by specialist nurses who provide support and information for people living with lung disease, heart disease and stroke.

Borna said: “I’ve learned a lot about the work of Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland today and it is clear that it is a great charity which provides vital services. I am sure the Rangers fans will get behind the partnership like they have done for the Charity Foundation’s previous charity partners.”

Health and new confidence

Everyone’s reality and recovery is different. John Sangster, life long Rangers fan had his stroke aged 61 in 2016. For years John organised the Rangers Supporters bus from Milngavie but since his stroke he hasn’t been able to attend the games. John said “I have no peripheral vision from my left-hand side and I find crowds really difficult and I don’t have much energy. Attending Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s Rehabilitation Support service has given John huge support and made a huge difference to his life.

He explained “CHSS have given me back my health and my confidence. The greatest therapy I’ve had is speaking to my friends in the group who’ve suffered a stroke like me, how they’ve coped and everything they’ve been through we all have so much in common. It’s due to CHSS that I’ve come on so well. I really look forward to the first game back ‘cause I’ve missed the Glasgow Rangers dearly. In the words of Arnold Schwartzenegger: I’ll be back!”

Health checks in the fan zone of Ibrox

Lawrence Cowan, Communications Director at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, said: “We’re delighted to have been chosen as Rangers Charity Foundation National Partner. These vital funds will make a real difference to people’s quality of life and help us to make sure there is no life half lived in Scotland.”

Throughout the season supporters will be able to get involved with the partnership. Sponsorship raised through taking part in some Rangers Charity Foundation events will be donated to the partnership and CHSS will attend Ibrox on selected matchdays to fundraise, collect donations of clothing for its shops and to offer fans health checks in the Fan Zone.

Rangers Charity Foundation Director Connal Cochrane commented: “Around one in five people in Scotland are living with the effects of serious chest, heart and stroke conditions so most people will know someone who could benefit from the services provided by Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland. Every 90 minutes three people in Scotland will have a stroke or heart attack. We love CHSS ethos of carrying out preventative work to reduce this figure but also its focus on supporting and encouraging people back to what they were doing – including watching football matches – before a chest, heart or stroke episode.”

“Our partnership will not only help fund some of those amazing services but also crucially highlight their availability to a wider audience.”