St. Anthony Hospital Celebrates First Cardiac Rehabilitation Graduate

July 15, 2026 -- After undergoing heart surgery, Melvin Ashbeck wasn’t sure what his daily life would look like moving forward. He heard about a program called Cardiac Rehabilitation, which can help people with heart disease gain strength and function.  However, the program Melvin heard about was over an hour away from his home. “I wasn’t going to do it because I wasn’t able to go to Tri-Cities over 30 times,” he recalls.  That’s when a family member told him about a new program available at St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton, Oregon

Melvin recently became the first graduate of St. Anthony Hospital’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. Cardiac Rehabilitation is an evidence-based program that combines physical activity, risk factor modification, education, and support - all under the supervision of a licensed clinician.  Patients in the program work with a Registered Nurse in 1-hour sessions twice weekly for approximately 12 weeks.  Before starting the program, the team creates a care plan based on the patient’s specific risk factors including health history, lifestyle, and nutrition status. The RN also collaborates with the patient’s cardiologist, the physician director of Cardiac Rehabilitation, and the patient’s primary care provider to ensure the best possible outcomes. 

For Melvin, these outcomes proved to be life changing. The greatest improvement Melvin saw was in his mobility. “I can do things today that I couldn’t do even a month ago,” he reported. “I can get around, bend over, and lift things. I don’t feel like I might fall.” Melvin credits his success to the excellent support he received throughout the program, including education and encouragement from program staff.F

When asked if he would recommend the program to others, Melvin replied with an enthusiastic yes. “I’m really glad something like this was available locally,” he said.  Melvin’s advice to patients considering cardiac rehabilitation is to work hard and finish the program. “There were times when I wanted to give up, but it gets better. This is something you can do that will make a big difference”.  Melvin is looking forward to using his new strength and mobility to do things he wasn’t able to do before, like travel out of state. “I feel like I could go now,” he said. “I’d like to travel to Canada, or see some states I’ve never been to before like the East Coast.  Maybe I’ll go on a cruise to Alaska.”

To find out if cardiac rehabilitation is right for you, call 541-966-2174 or 541-278-2629 to learn more about the program and how to get started.