The Cardiac Rehab program at Waldo County General Hospital will hold an open house to introduce its phase 3 program on Friday, April 13, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the cardiac rehab space on the first floor of the hospital.

   During part of that time, there will be phase 3 participants working out as they do twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays, for up to an hour and a half.

   Phase 3 is a maintenance program with the goal of getting participants to push themselves to exercise regularly and effectively in a setting where they feel safe.

    The hospital has run a phase 2 program for more than 10 years but just recently added phase 3. Phase 1 occurs while a patient who has suffered a heart “event” is still hospitalized. Phase 2 is an eight- to12-week exercise program that is closely supervised and monitored.

   Sharron Walsh of Searsport suffered a heart event a year ago and completed phases 1 and 2. Since then she has been going to the YMCA and to pilates and Zumba classes but she is still thrilled to be part of the phase 3 program.

   “Here I feel like I am in a safe environment so I challenge myself more. I was a little afraid to start to increase my endurance at the Y and it’s been great to start to really push myself. And I enjoy working out with other people who have had a similar experience. I still go to the Y and that’s fun but I don’t work out as hard as I do here. It’s a wonderful staff with great music and the time flies by,” she says.

   Insurance does not cover the phase 3 program. The cost is $40 per month.

   Phase 3 is open to participants who have suffered a cardiac event or have risk factors that could lead to such an event.