Dale Parkhill had been dealing with back pain for roughly five years prior to his surgery at the Saint John Regional Hospital. Dale was an avid curler, loved to hike, hunt and go camping. However, a bulging disc was pinching a nerve in his back, and he was in pain and unable to do the things he loved.
“I couldn’t walk more than 10 minutes before surgery,” Dale says.
Prior to surgery, Dale entered the prehab program through the Canada East Spine Centre – which offered him exercise and education sessions. That program wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of donors.
“The exercise and education sessions were so helpful for me. I know I wouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t gone through the prehab program,” says Dale. “Because of the program, I felt better going into my surgery. I knew what to expect. I was prepared mentally and physically. And I think because I had done the exercise and classes prior to surgery, I was able to recover quite well,”
Thanks to the prehab program, Dale felt better prepared for his surgery, and confident that he would get back to doing the things he loved.
“Now I can hike three-kilometre trails with our children and grandchildren,” Dale says. “I can tell you that Canada East Spine Centre’s critical research has made a huge improvement in my life, and I know that’s the case for many others, too.”
