University of Alberta -

Rehabilitation Unit - Unit 56

In 1979 discussions were held between Barbara Stevens, a Nurse Coordinator in the University of Alberta Rehabilitation Unit, and Walter Schoepp an outpatient in the programme. They concluded that cardiac outpatients needed to include their spouse and their families in the rehabilitation process and that a self-help group appeared to be the appropriate mechanism. 

At the same time, operating under the umbrella of the U of A Rehabilitation Unit was an exercise programme called the U of A - Cardiac Athletic League. It was composed of outpatients from the U of A Self-Help Group based on a referral from their cardiologist. 

University of Alberta - Self-Help Group

The University of Alberta Cardiac Self-Help Group was founded in 1980 with Walter Schoepp as the first President. The Self-Help Group, while closely associated with the U of A Rehabilitation Unit, was to be a separately operated and administered organization run by the outpatients. The goal of the organization was to assist others with cardiac related issues. Its main objective as stated by Walter Schoepp was “To help individuals help themselves thereby increasing and improving the quality of life for all concerned”. 

Cardiac Athletic Society of Edmonton (CASE)

In the fall of 1988, several members of the U of A Cardiac Athletic League met to discuss forming a completely independent combined self-help and exercise group. On April 29, 1989, the Cardiac Athletic Society of Edmonton (CASE) was registered under the Societies Act of the Province of Alberta and simultaneously it was granted Charitable Society tax exemption status. On October 24, 1989, the University of Alberta Cardiac Self-Help Group which had continued to operate as a separate organization was amalgamated into CASE. On February 16, 1990 the first Annual General meeting of CASE was held, and an executive was elected with Henry Unrau as its first President. 

CASE incorporated not only the principles established by the U of A Self-Help Group it also adopted many of their activities such as:

· twice weekly exercise programme which for some included a friendly volleyball game

· weekly informal hospital visitations to provide comfort to cardiac patients and their families

· monthly guest speakers

· monthly general group meetings which included both informal discussions and socializing 

· a monthly newsletter

· an annual volleyball tournament between CASE and the U of A Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit

· an annual summer BBQ 

· an annual Christmas Dinner

As time went on the weekly hospital visitations were dropped over privacy concerns and the annual volleyball tournament was also dropped. The monthly general group meetings evolved into a monthly meeting of the executive.  

Other activities were added: 

· Wednesday golf at Twin Willows Golf Course 

· an annual CASE golf tournament

· an annual Ed Abel Golf Classic golf tournament celebrating the life of one of our regular golfers

· regular walks on river valley trails

· monthly social breakfasts 

· an annual January Dinner to kick off the new year

When CASE began in 1989, the exercise classes were held at the School for the Deaf up until 2010. After a brief stint at the Kinsman Field House the exercise program moved to its current location, the Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre in 2012. Since 2004, we have been fortunate to have had Lynn Bohuch as our regular fitness instructor. Since June 2020 Lynn has been  providing on-line Essentrics classes. 

This history was completed by Gary Duguay using the information compiled by Dr David Fleiger from documents written by Walter Schoepp, Cyril Marshal and Henry Unrau. Dr David Fleiger was also responsible for sending the compiled information to the Provincial Archives of Alberta for permanent storage.