A new rehabilitative care centre in Tecumseh named after a legendary former NHL tough guy is already seeing more patients than projected.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Thursday, June 5, to officially open the Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare Bob Probert Tecumseh Campus, which would have been Probert's 60th birthday.
The location has already cared for 84 patients since March, with over 700 visits in the first two months of operation.
The centre at 12420 Lanoue St., not far from the Royal Canadian Legion branch off Lesperance Road, will offer outpatient programs such as cardiac wellness, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, and a geriatric assessment program.
Probert's wife, Dani Probert, says opening the centre was a lot more emotional than anticipated.
"Typically on Bob's birthday, we like to celebrate quietly, privately. The kids and I are listening to his favourite music and eating all his favourite foods," she says. "Today it seemed so appropriate to be with the community at an event like this, seeing the ride after 10 years of the ride coming to fruition and being here."
Probert says they knew there was a need for rehab services in the east end.
"Just for the ease, especially for the elderly, in getting here. The parking and all of these wonderful things," she says. "When I toured the facility when they did a soft opening back in February, it was full. There were patients here working, and it was a wonderful, heartwarming feeling. It really was to see there is a need; it's here, and it's full."
The main cardiac rehab centre is located at 1453 Prince Road on the main campus of Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare.
Vice President of Restorative Care and Chief Nursing Executive Shannon Landry says the early numbers at the Tecumseh centre tell her that there are patients who would have been able to get cardiac rehab.
"Because of where the service is at on the west end of Windsor, they didn't want to travel, couldn't travel, or didn't have the capacity to travel," she says. "So bringing it here, closer to home for our clients and patients, it's obvious that there are more patients getting the care that they absolutely need."
Probert died July 5, 2010, after suffering a heart attack during a day on Lake St. Clair with his family.
The Windsor-born Probert spent nine seasons in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings and seven with the Chicago Blackhawks, earning 3,300 penalty minutes to go along with 163 goals and 384 points in his 16-year career.