Success Stories

With health and wellness top-of-mind for people in today's overwhelmingly busy society, people are deciding to make positive, lasting changes in their lives.

Take a look below as we focus on our members as they graciously share with us their success stories.

Justin Ward

"Going to the gym at this school brings a great deal of normalcy to my life and gives me a sense of satisfaction. MacEwan Centre for Sport and Wellness allows me to continue to make progress in my recovery, helps me relieve stress, and keeps my mind and body in good shape."

On January 2, 2006, Justin Ward was in a terrible accident. He was out snowboarding with a friend when a young child cut in-front of him while he was boarding down the hill. Justin swerved to avoid the young child and began heading for what he thought was just a mound of snow. Little did he know, there was a large hole dug out on the other side of the mound that housed a steel electrical power supply box.

Justin didn't have time to react. He was airborne and fell - the back of his head landing on the steel box. Justin was immediately unconscious.

Justin's friend waited for his return at the bottom of the hill, but panicked when he did not see him. The hill's ski-patrol rushed to Justin's aid and called an ambulance. The team of paramedics brought Justin down to the emergency wing of the University of Alberta hospital. Following his time in emergency, Justin was moved to the Intensive Care Unit, where he spent nine days in a coma.

Four vertebrae were fractured in his c-spine, there was a contusion in his lung, and severe damage was sustained to the back of his brain (the cerebellum). When he became stable enough to be moved, Justin was sent to the Glenrose Brain Rehabilitation hospital on a stretcher.

Three months of extensive therapy followed, which included, speech and communication therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and recreational therapy. Justin was "unable to speak remotely intelligently" and was dependant on a wheel-chair for mobility because his balance and coordination were far too problematic. Justin lost the use of his right arm and hand and had severe complications surrounding memory and even basic thinking.

When Justin reached the Glenrose maximum stay period, he was sent to Ponoka, Alberta for longer term rehabilitation, where he ended up spending eight months. During his time there, Justin managed to partially recover, but he still wasn't able to do half of the things he used to be able to do before the accident.

It was recommended to Justin go to Grant MacEwan College, because we offer a course designed to help people out with head injuries and re-integrate them back into society, school and the community in general (Community Enrichment Program).

Justin has been a student at MacEwan since January 4, 2007. After class ends he goes to the Centre for Sport and Wellness and focuses on the areas which still need improvement. His experience at MacEwan Centre has proved to be very beneficial, because he has experienced so much progress.

"When I first started at this school I was too weak to open a door. My right-arm wasn't even coordinated enough to pick something up or walk properly. But with training at MacEwan Centre, these problems have become virtually non-existent."

"I was close to either dying or becoming a paraplegic, and if that were the case, I would never have had the opportunity to progress by taking advantage of physical therapy at the fitness centre. Going to the gym at this school brings a great deal of normalcy to my life and gives me a sense of satisfaction. MacEwan Centre allows me to continue to make progress in my recovery, helps me relieve stress, and keeps my mind and body in good shape - and for all of those reasons, it helps keep me sane."

MacEwan Centre for Sport & Wellness would like to extend a heart-felt thank you to Justin Ward for sharing his incredible story. We admire your strength and bravery Justin, and we are here for you each step of the way.

Call 497-5300 for more information on our Post-Injury Rehabilitation Program.

Download a printable PDF of Justin Ward's story.

Trevor Latka

"A good friend to many employees and patrons alike."

The staff and patrons of MacEwan Centre for Sport and Wellness are extremely happy to recognize Trevor Latka as one of the most valuable members of our team. For ten years, Trevor has had an impact on the fitness area on both a personal and professional level. Trevor is always excited to help out when needed, especially when it comes to organizing the magazine shelves and keeping many of our machines spick and span.

Most importantly, Trevor has become a good friend to many employees and patrons alike. Whether it's talking about the Oilers or the Eskimos, it's clear that Trevor is an avid supporter of the local sports scene and is always willing to chat about the latest games. Some of us have even been lucky enough to attend a game with Trevor where his passion for the Oilers and Eskimos is seen firsthand.

When it comes to staff social functions, nobody gets more excited than Trevor to spend some quality free-time with his co-workers. Trevor is also a big fan of country music, and we all hope his wish of traveling to Nashville is realized so he can show off his karaoke skills.

Trevor's positive nature and warm smile are always a breath of fresh air, and we all look forward to spending time with him for many years to come.

MacEwan Centre for Sport and Wellness would like to extend a sincere thank you to Trevor Latka, a dedicated volunteer who works hard to help make our centre a great place to be. Trevor brings a fresh, kick-butt attitude to our centre, each day inspiring the people around him. Thanks for your enthusiasm Trevor!

Download a printable PDF of Trevor Latka's story.

Do you have a story?

We'd love to hear your story! If you have a success story you'd like to share, please send us your contact information and /or your story to brittenm@macewan.ca.