ITV Text Santa: Cardiac rehabilitation

This week you'll have the chance to do a bit of giving this Christmas when Text Santa comes to ITV. Over the years the campaign has helped raise millions of pounds for charities who really do make a difference.

One person helped by the appeal is Glynis Carpenter. Her mother Joyce was diagnosed with bowel cancer, her sister Bronwen was diagnosed with a brain tumour and died at the start of 2013 and Glynis suffered a heart condition possibly linked to the stress.

With plans to marry her partner Matthew on his birthday this year, they have since decided to give 2013 a miss. Having been the worst year Glynis has ever experienced, they are planning to get married on her birthday in March 2014 instead.

Dan Hewitt reports:

Glynis was put on medication, and her doctor advised her to go for cardiac rehabilitation at the Waterfront Leisure Centre in Woolwich. She was so frightened, and couldn't stop crying at her first class. She suddenly didn't know her limitations, and didn't know if her body would let her do even the simplest things.

Having started classes Glynis noticed that slowly she was getting her confidence back. At Waterfront she was surrounded by specialists looking after her, people who had been through similar experiences, and a place where she could be monitored and have her heart rate measured.

It gave her peace of mind when exercising. Glynis says that going through the Healthwise cardiac rehabilitation was fantastic.

The atmosphere is encouraging at all times, and it is a safe environment. A place where when she felt so low has now given her the confidence to move forward.

Find out more about the British Heart Foundation, together with the other charities involved in Text Santa on the ITV Text Santa website, where there is also information about how you can get involved with this year's Christmas fundraiser.