October 14, 2025
David Carr meets virtually with his Prehab team. “It was such a positive experience; what it did for me was save my life. I can’t say enough about this program to do it credit.” Photo by Evan Isbister.
“By combining medical, emotional, physical and practical supports, Prehab provides holistic, patient-centred care,” says Carmen Lazorek, provincial director. “We’re really focused on meeting the patient where they’re at and improving their experience in the healthcare system.” Photo by Evan Isbister.
Story by Angela Unsworth | Photos by Evan Isbister
For some, readying for surgery can be disconcerting — but an Alberta Health Services’ (AHS) program is empowering Albertans by helping them to proactively prepare. Prehabilitation, launched as a pilot in 2023, aims to improve the patient’s entire surgical journey, including the time they’re waiting for their surgery.
“I owe so much to the Prehab program,” says David Carr, a patient who needed to lose weight before being determined eligible for kidney surgery. “In the beginning, I wasn’t receptive to taking the time to do this program. I was at a point where I was giving up on the idea of having surgery.
“Then I received a call from one of the members of the Prehab team. She was amazing — and she had me agree to try it for one session to see what I thought. I can’t thank them enough for what I experienced that first day as it was so uplifting. Prehab is such a positive experience — what it did for me was save my life. I can’t say enough about this program to do it credit. I’m pleased to share that the day I was told, ‘you’re in line for a kidney’, was so emotional.”
Prehab targets the following four domains of care, depending on patient need:
While Carr received support to physically be ready for surgery, another patient, Tom Lonsdale, received support through Prehab to manage his anxiety before facing a major surgery, helping him regain a sense of control.
“I got to work with the team quite a few times. They gave me lots of great info,” says Lonsdale, who participated in the Prehab program in February 2024, a month before his procedure.
“The psychologist gave me some relaxation exercises to practise before surgery, and it was helpful when going into the operation. On the day of the surgery, as I lay there waiting, I started to feel hyped, so I did the exercises he taught me. I did them as I rolled into the surgery room — and I rolled out of the surgery much more at ease than I otherwise would have.”
Since its launch, Prehab has received about 5,000 referrals and has expanded to support more pre-surgical patients across Alberta.
“By combining medical, emotional, physical and practical supports, Prehab provides holistic, patient-centred care,” says Carmen Lazorek, provincial director. “We’re really focused on meeting the patient where they’re at, and improving their experience in the healthcare system.”
"The webinars gave me lots of helpful info. It really helped me get into the frame of mind I needed to get into, to start preparing,” says Lonsdale. “I’m essentially a semi-ambassador of the program. I tell everyone I know about this program — how great it is, and how much it helped me. Would I come back to do more this time round? Heck yes — I’ll come back to you all.”
Albertans ages 18 and over, and on a surgical waitlist in Alberta with a minimum of four weeks before their surgery date, are eligible for Prehab. Patients can self-refer to the program through ahs.ca/Prehab. Physicians and healthcare providers can refer via Connect Care or fax 403-668-2172. Visit Alberta Referral Directory - Prehabilitation for more details.
