As a professor of Occupational Therapy, Brenda Vrkljan knows the critical importance of mobility in helping seniors live their lives to the fullest.

So naturally, when her father — Bozidar “Nick” Vrkljan — had to have both his knees replaced, she looked for ways to accelerate his rehabilitation.

Having worked at McMaster for nearly 20 years, she had seen first-hand the positive impact of the MacSeniors program at the university’s Physical Activity Centre of Excellence (PACE).

Vrkljan enthusiastically referred her father to PACE, not realizing what a central role it would come to play in his life.

“PACE became the anchor of his life,” she says.

As her mother put it, it became “his place.”

Before discovering PACE, Vrkljan’s parents had relocated in 2015 from Sarnia— where they’d spent the last 25 years.

“Moving is hard no matter what point you are at in your life,” says Vrkljan. “You have to restart in terms of friendships, routine and meaning.”

Getting a membership at PACE was a turning point for her dad.

“He met all kinds of people—including his best friend Darrell,” she says. “It just goes to show that you never know when you’re going to meet your best friend.”

Most weeks, her father would go to PACE almost every day, and in the afternoons, he’d meet Darrell or another friend for coffee.

“It was the jumping-off point for his daily activities” says Vrkjlan.

One day, he suggested that a few friends from PACE head to the Bagel House in Dundas after their workout. Before long, it became a weekly Friday ritual, and the group affectionately became known as “the Bagel Gang.”

“My Dad’s dream wasn’t to go to the moon,” Vrkljan says. “It was to have a group of friends to go for coffee with.”

In April 2023, Nick passed away, leaving a legacy of friendship and community. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family collected donations for MacSeniors, honouring the important role the program and PACE played in his life.

To this day, the Bagel Gang — which includes his wife, Dagmar — still meets every Friday. When she is available, their daughter joins the gang as well.

Dagmar also joined MacSeniors after two recent knee replacements, and just celebrated her first anniversary of attending PACE.

“PACE is now a big part of my Mom’s life too,” says Vrkljan.

“If I was to grade her recovery from her knee surgery, it’s an 11/10.  I give huge credit to PACE for that. She really enjoys the interaction with the students and how they monitor her workouts.”

In December, when it came time for Vrkljan to make her annual holiday donation to charity, the choice of a cause was clear.

“I gave my donation to PACE because of their outstanding approach to health and wellness,” she said.

PACE is so much more than a gym, Vrkljan says: It’s the place that gave her dad a new sense of meaning — and a community where many people continue to find connection, joy and purpose.

To learn more about giving at McMaster, visit giving.mcmaster.ca or contact the advancement team. 

Why McMaster donors give

At McMaster University, every single gift, no matter the size, has the potential to make a difference in the lives of our students, the quality of our research and our ability to give back to our community and influence the future. We asked some of our donors and their families what motivates them to give. Read their stories.