'I leave my limitations behind': Patients react to new program on G.F. Strong's 75th anniversary

G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre in Vancouver celebrated its 75th anniversary on Tuesday.

Hundreds of people filled the gymnasium as former and current patients and staff reminisced on the past and unveiled plans for the future.

Canadian icon Rick Hansen was just one of the dozens of former patients in the room. The “Man in Motion” spoke to CTV News about the impact the centre had on him when he got his diagnosis five decades ago, and his world felt like it was crumbling beneath him.

“This is a place where so many amazing people were there for me 50 years ago when I was a 16-year-old kid thinking my life was over,” said Hansen.

“The knowledge here is also exported across this region, this province and even around the world.”

Hansen would go on to embark on the Man In Motion World Tour from Vancouver in 1985, which took him and his team around the world to prove the potential of people with disabilities and raise awareness for accessibility.

Nearly forty years later, the G.F. Strong Centre has grown in size and continues to evolve.

The most recent addition to the centre is the GAME (Gaming Accessibility Made for Everyone) Checkpoint established in 2023.

Jan Bruce has been a patient of the clinic since 2012 after being diagnosed with primary lateral sclerosis, a muscular condition that has left her in a wheelchair, hooked to a ventilator to breathe, and unable to speak.

But gaming is something that has brought joy to receiving treatment at the centre.

“Online gaming allows me to compete with able-bodied gamers on a level playing field,” Bruce typed into her iPad. “I leave my limitations behind.”

Bruce went on to say that losing her speech has made her feel isolated, as picking up the phone and calling people has become challenging. She explained that the gaming program has allowed her to build social connections and develop friendships.

“I'm very grateful to all the staff. There's no problem too big,” wrote Bruce.

Jason Cheng is the assistive technologist in the program and says it was built for patients to access technology—gaming is only a part of it. The centre also offers a 3D program that uses printers to help develop and innovate new tools for those with disabilities.

“I think those go hand in hand. And we're just getting started with 3D printing,” said Cheng about incorporating gaming and 3D printing.

“We're going to be able to see all these designs and be able to collaborate with other rehab centers across Canada. And 3D printing is such a wonderful community of open-source designs.”

G.F. Strong‘s GAME Checkpoint program is one of six across Canada.