LONDON (WESTERN) – 1981: PRORESP’S BEGINNING
ProResp Inc.’s story begins right here. It’s a story about bringing respiratory therapy to the community and improving the quality of life for people who suffer from respiratory diseases. Professional Respiratory Home Care Service Corp, or what eventually would become ProResp, opened in London, Ontario in 1981. The company was the vision of Dr. Mitchell Baran, owner of Trudell Medical. Mitch realized that home oxygen services at that time lacked the professional expertise important to patient care and hired the first Respiratory Therapist to provide respiratory care in the community. Mitch was guided by the philosophy that “nothing is ever achieved without passion.” His passion lives on in all the ProResp team accomplishes to this day!
In 1981, our Head Office and London operations operated out of the same building on Leathorne Street. In 1998 our London operation entered a joint venture with the London Health Sciences Centre. Over the years the office changed locations to Commissioner’s Road East, then Wilkins Street, and is now located at 339 Westminster Avenue. Our successful joint venture improves the patient journey from hospital to home through earlier discharge and seamless transition, and reflects our commitment to innovative solutions to health system challenges.
As we grew over the years and began helping more people breathe across Ontario, we outgrew our Head Office on Leathorne Street and, in 2007, moved into our current location on Oxford Street East in London. In 2010 we officially changed our name from Professional Respiratory Home Care Service Corp. to ProResp Inc.
Our success over the past 40 years is humbling and is the result of the hard work and commitment from a lot of people along the way. Our 40th anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate our people, our partners, and our patients as we reflect on our journey and the significant moments that have helped shape who we are today. We hope you’ll join us over the coming days as we reveal our timeline.