Rotary and the Pritchard Foundation leverage the power of financial collaboration to support COACH
Colin Pritchard, Sheldon Paulger, Steve Thomson, Jacqueline Gabelhouse
The Central Okanagan Association for Cardiac Health (COACH) has been supporting patients recovering from cardiac events for almost 25 years. Its’ primary role is to provide exercise, dietary and other life style recommendations to promote an enduring recovery; all done through an evidence based personalized assessment. This assessment establishes a baseline to understand overall strength and fitness for those entering cardiac rehabilitation. Over 400 patients annually partake in the COACH assessment and programs. Up to now the primary assessment device has been inadequate and mechanically unreliable. An appeal was made to The Rotary Club of Kelowna, through its Major Projects Donation’s initiative to fund a new CASE (Cardiac Assessment System for Exercise) stress testing system. This assessment tool enhances the experience for a cardiac patient to learn about their overall cardiovascular fitness level, symptoms, and changes in heart rate and blood pressure on newly prescribed cardiac medications. The information gathered is shared with the participant’s family physician and cardiologist to optimally manage their care. It directly supports the C.O.A.C.H. staff to provide appropriate safety precautions and exercise prescription for cardiovascular improvements. . The CASE system also serves additional clients from research partnerships with U.B.C.O. (Okanagan). The new CASE stress testing system will provide safe, effective assessments for the frail, the elderly who may require side rails, and heavier participants with extra wide surface area, improved accuracy, safety and work flow efficiencies. These efficiencies include stream lining information using a new electronic medical record systems with other health care providers and researchers (Kelowna Cardiology Associates, Family Physicians and U.B.C.O. researchers).
The almost $34,000 purchase exceeded the Rotary Club of Kelowna’s funding limits, so Colin Pritchard of The Colin and Lois Pritchard Foundation stepped up and contributed the balance necessary to make the purchase happen. Sheldon Paulger, Chair of Rotary’s Donations’ Committee, was very grateful. “When you don’t have an unlimited amount of funds, pooling resources with other like minded organizations enables important initiatives to get done that wouldn’t otherwise”. Steve Thomson, President of the Rotary Club of Kelowna, stated “COACH has made a big difference in our community through supporting healthy life style changes and we wanted to support that”. Jacqueline Gabelhouse, Team Lead at COACH, stated “this purchase not only improved on our evidence based assessments but also made a difference for our staff as they no longer have to re-do or work around the limitations of the old equipment”.