GAY WOOD (née Jameson) - Graduate New Zealand School of Physiotherapy - class of 1963

2013

Courtesy Gay Wood

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Gay Wood became involved in cardiac rehabilitation in her capacity as a young physiotherapy lecturer at the New Zealand School of Physiotherapy. She worked alongside Ted Nye, Medical School Senior Lecturer, who was instrumental in developing the cardiac programme in Dunedin. As a means of increasing their physical capacity, Gay supervised the first patients with coronary heart disease to undertake structured exercise classes in a community setting (under the umbrella name of the Coronary Club).
The exercises were initially limited to land-based exercises in the Hanover Street Physiotherapy Gymnasium. Before long, hydrotherapy was added to the programme and patients enjoyed modified water polo in the Physiotherapy Pool. The Dunedin Phoenix Club was established in 1967 as way of ensuring community-led exercises for patients with varying degrees of coronary heart disease, who could then have access to appropriate gymnasium and hydrotherapy facilities under the supervision of physiotherapists.
Otago-based physiotherapists continue to take on a supervisory role in their on-going support for the Phoenix Club, which has extended its activities to tramping and encouraging greater family involvement.