With a caring heart and an eager attitude, Patricia Graham's push for a warm water therapy pool at the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre (SLSFSC) was pursued and followed by success. Approaching Bob Head, a key visionary with the project, nearly a decade ago would be the first step in Graham's journey to implementing the therapy pool along with creating the Warm Water Therapy Pool Society.
Understanding that residents of Cochrane and area would greatly benefit from such a pool, Graham was relentless in making the vision she had in her head a reality. In its early stages, information talks were held along with advertising and research. The society spent countless hours raising awareness of the positive effects of a thermal pool. Funds were donated and grants were obtained to hand out more than $100,000 to the town for the pool.
The aquatic addition to the centre, along with the warm water therapy pool, opened in July 2017. Users with chronic diseases including Parkinson's, Huntington's, and arthritis are benefitting from the pool which could also have a positive role in assisting users with rehabilitation and medical traumas.
"It was really important for everyone to recognize that going into aqua therapy in a warm water pool is very beneficial for people who have medical and surgical issues, because you don't have the same strain on your limbs when you're in water. You're supported," said Illa Drever one of the board directors of the Cochrane and Area Warm Water Therapy Pool Society.The society claims that the therapeutic pool offers warmth, buoyancy, resistance and improves range of movement, soothes and relaxes sore muscles and stiff joints.
There is a variety of instructor-led programs that take place in the warm water therapy pool. The benefits are quickly felt and continue well after the class is finished acting as a release that individuals of all ages and fitness levels can gain from.
"We have something going on every day now. Monday, Wednesday's and Friday's at 11:45 a.m. is a range of motion and stretching. It's very very gentle, relaxes your mind just as much as your body. We have started this year, Tuesday's and Thursday's at noon is an arthritis plus class. That encompasses fibro and all the other forms of arthritis and then the plus is joint issues so if you're pre or post surgery for hips, knees, shoulders, as long as you've been O.K.'d by a doctor and your incisions are healed, it is the best place that you can be. It decompresses the joints and it's a lot of fun," explains Jo-anne Paulgaard, a program instructor at SLSFSC.
After an ongoing battle with leukemia, Graham passed away last year at the age of 88. Fellow Society members, fellow Cochranites and members of town council honoured Graham and her enthusiastic efforts last week at SLSFSC. Individuals shared memories among each other, expressed how the thermal pool has met and aided the needs of locals and welcomed those who have not been to the pool to come and try it out for themselves and see.
"I just admired her vision and how she stuck to it, she just wasn't going to give up and even though her own husband didn't really get to use it because he was in Bethany but she knew that it would help so many people and I just have to give her kudos I'm sure she is watching down on us and proud to see the things that are happening," mentioned Susan Flowers, council member for the town of Cochrane.
There are seven ladies that sit on the Warm Water Therapy Pool Society Board of Directors. Their hope is that they can continue the wonderful legacy that Graham created.
"I know that Pat you're up there just grinning and smiling and wanting us to continue on with programs and we will be working on it," said Lydia Graham board director of the Cochrane and Area Warm Water Therapy Pool Society.
All coming together to honour their dear friend, when asked what is one thing she misses of Graham, another society board director, Mary Lou Nicolson Klimek smiled and said "Daily phone calls."
