In response to the needs, Caritas formed the Center for Lung Health in 1992 – a center which now registers over 400 participants in its programs a year.

This is not surprising given that lung disease affects people of all ages and is on the rise.  Approximately 100,000 people in Edmonton and surrounding areas are affected with chronic lung disease.  Due to the effects of their disease, they are a neglected population, typically unable to maintain a decent quality of life and often housebound.

Take Fred Rudyk, who was diagnosed with emphysema almost two years ago.  With his condition, almost seventy per cent of the air he should be breathing is trapped in his lungs.  “I could barely move,” he says.  “I couldn’t even comb my hair without gasping for breath.  “Nine months ago, Fred attended the center’s Breathe Easy program, designed to provide valuable information to help people cope with their illness.  By participating in the program, Fred learned about how his heart and lungs worked, practiced breathing techniques to maximize efficiency and received tips on nutrition.

The center offers thirteen programs, focusing on breathing re-training, strengthening and endurance exercises, self-management techniques, life coping skills, educational programs and group support.

When Fred first started the program at the Edmonton General Continuing Care Center, staff would meet him with a wheelchair because he could not walk the short distance from the front door to the center.  “Now,” he says, “I don’t need the wheelchair.  I can walk it on my own.”  Further, since participating in the program, Fred has not had to go to the hospital for his emphysema.  “The difference in how I feel and what I can do is unbelievable,” he says.  “My quality of life has improved a thousand times.”

Built on principles of integrated service, access to information and personal values, the center strives to provide respiratory rehabilitation with compassion and respect.  Programs and services are provided through a comprehensive, multi-faceted team approach.  A key partner is the community-based group, COLD Respiratory Problems Club of Alberta, which provides educational, social and emotional support for people with lung disease, including graduates of Center programs.