The collaboration between NIFS and IUSM was a natural. In 1985, community leaders laid the plans for opening a fitness center with a broader focus than the typical workout center. Grants from Lilly Endowment, Inc., the State of Indiana, and the City of Indianapolis made it possible. NIFS opened its doors in 1988 and since that time has focused not just on fitness but on wellness. The collaboration with IUSM made the center's goal possible with the establishment of a variety of medically based fitness programs.
More programs are on the drawing board.
Dr. Busk is extremely pleased with the success of the program, designed for individuals who have various forms of cardiac and pulmonary disease. After release from the hospital, individuals interested in a medically based fitness program can join WIN to receive education and supervised exercise. Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation has a proven track record with a reduction in stress, mortality, hospitalization and emergency room visits. The camaraderie that develops between the participants is a dividend. The IU Center for Weight Management is under the guidance of Barry Gumbiner, MD, medical director, and exercise physiologist David Creel, RD, program director.