Reh-Fit Centre celebrates 45 years

Grant Park

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/02/2024 (596 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A lot can be done in nearly half a century and the Reh-Fit Centre is showing just how as it celebrates it 45th anniversary this month.

Coincidentally, February is Smart for Your Heart month, which exists to raise awareness for cardiac health.

To celebrate the occasion, Reh-Fit will be hosting two free heart-health education sessions. The first will be held Feb. 15 from 10 to 11:30 a.m., and the second on Feb. 22 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. They will both feature cardiovascular professionals, there to answer questions and debunk common myths.

The rehabilitation and gym facility at 1390 Taylor Ave., was originally constructed in 1979. Its predecessors had been previously based at St. Boniface Hospital, then the University of Manitoba.

The Reh-Fit Centre concept is based on the idea that patients should be encouraged to get back on their feet and stretch their muscles following traumatic health events, such as cardiac arrest, aneurysms, and more — rather than just rest in bed. The late Dr. David Mymin, who died in 2021, led the original initiative.

“He (Mymin) felt there had to be a better way,” said Sue Boreskie, CEO of Reh-Fit Centre. “So now, fast forward 45 years later (and), as you know, procedures take much shorter time, we don’t have people in bedrest very long, we try to get them sitting up right away, moving as much as we can. So things have changed. And that’s all based on just knowledge and research.”

Following its conception, the Reh-Fit was recognized as Canada’s first certified medical-fitness facility by the Medical Fitness Association. As it stands today, the facility continues to make a mark on not just Winnipeg, but Manitoba, as well as on a national scale. What began as a grassroots idea has connected the city with professionals from far out of the local hub, Boreskie said.

Even with its success and accolades, the motivation behind Reh-Fit remains the same as always.

“My whole career has been in this field,” Boreskie said. “And nothing is more gratifying than when you can see the effects of a team environment, and providing a service and support for individuals, and seeing them come out at the end and feeling so confident.”

It’s a sentiment that’s reflected by most of the staff, Boreskie said, which include fitness trainers, nurses, physiotherapists, and more. People can really see the positive impact of a day’s work, she said.

This is accentuated by Winnipeg’s “small town” environment, she said, and the unfortunate commonality of cardiac and similar health events within the general public. The Heart & Stroke Foundation has reported that approximately 60,000 Canadians experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year.

“I’m always shocked,” Boreskie said. “Often when I talk to people, they say, ‘Oh, my uncle and aunt went there. Oh, I’m very grateful what you did for my grandmother or for my great grandfather.’ People remember what it’s done.”

Reh-Fit Centre aims to thrive in the 45 years to come. The organization’s current priority is its 10-year vision plan, which will expand the facilities, upgrade washrooms, and make room for new programming.

“Everyone (staff and members) gave their various ideas, and we know that there is interest in us expanding,” Boreskie continued. “People have asked us (things like) ‘have we considered a pool?’ … And, you know, ‘what are the costs to do that? And ‘is that feasible?’ And ‘where would that fall in our future?’”

Overall, the team is excited for what’s to come, she said.

In addition to being a medical recovery facility, Reh-Fit is open to anyone who wishes to purchase a membership and use the space as a regular gym.

For more information, visit reh-fit.com