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Rotary Club donation supports recovering Central Okanagan cardiac patients

A Cardiac Assessment System for Exercise was purchased for Central Okanagan Association for Cardiac Health
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(Left to Right) Colin Pritchard, Sheldon Paulger, Steve Thomson, Jacqueline Gabelhouse.

More than 400 patients from across the Central Okanagan who are recovering from cardiac events will now have a better assessment tool to help them learn more about their overall health.

A new CASE (Cardiac Assessment System for Exercise) stress testing system was donated to the Central Okanagan Association for Cardiac Health (COACH) after its team made a plea to the Rotary Club of Kelowna, through its Major Projects Donation initiative.

COACH has been operating for almost 25 years with its primary role to provide exercise, dietary and other lifestyle recommendations to assist in recovery, all through using evidence-based personalized assessment.

According to COACH, the primary assessment device had been inadequate and mechanically unreliable, which is why the association appealed to the rotary club for assistance.

The CASE would cost almost $34,000, which exceeded the rotary club’s funding limits, however, Colin Pritchard of The Colin and Lois Pritchard Foundation stepped in to help ensure enough money would be available.

The assessment tool allows cardiac patients 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 their family physician and cardiologist to manage their care.

“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,” said Jacqueline Gabelhouse, team lead at COACH.

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Jen Zielinski

About the Author: Jen Zielinski

Graduated from the broadcast journalism program at BCIT. Also holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science and sociology from Thompson Rivers University.
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