Bob Probert Tecumseh Campus seeing more patients complete cardiac rehab programs due to improved access

The ribbon cutting of HDGH's Bob Probert Tecumseh Campus in Tecumseh, Ont. on June 5, 2025. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

The new Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare Bob Probert Tecumseh Campus is seeing more patients finish their rehabilitation programs due to improved access.

The centre named after the former NHL tough guy is designed to improve access for people living in Tecumseh, Lakeshore, and other areas of Essex County.

Patients previously had to travel to the main cardiac rehab centre at 1453 Prince Road on the main campus of Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare in Windsor’s west end.

The Probert centre at 12420 Lanoue Street, not far from the Royal Canadian Legion branch off Lesperance Road, offers outpatient programs such as cardiac wellness, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, and a geriatric assessment program.

Operations Manager for Ambulatory Services Carly Bell said removing access barriers has been invaluable for the cardiac rehab program.

“Since opening at that site, we have not had a single person drop out of the program for any reason, such as that they can’t get to their appointments, it’s too far, it’s out of the way, or it’s inconvenient,” she said.

The campus began treating patients in March 2025, and since opening, the cardiac wellness program has handled over 2,500 visits with over 100 new participants.

The physiotherapy, occupational, and speech-language therapy program has received over 600 visits, while the geriatric assessment program has received over 260 visits.

Bell said they expected these numbers given the ease of travel for patients in Tecumseh, Lakeshore, and further out in Essex County.

“Bringing the care closer to home at the satellite site made that previous barrier to receiving services, it made it attainable to them,” she said.

Bell said access and travel are usually the top reasons why people drop out or fail to complete cardiac rehab programs.

“50 per cent of patients that don’t go through with a cardiac rehab-type program after a cardiac event are three times more likely to have another cardiac event within the five-year span,” she said.

“So having someone come through the program and not only sign up for it but also complete it is reducing their long-term, hopefully, cardiac events in the future.”

The centre has updated exercise and rehab equipment that was purchased with over $1.2 million that was raised through 10 Bob Probert motorcycle rides, Probert Classics, and raffles.

Probert died on 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.