After one year in operation, the Strickland Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Clinic at Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton has yielded measurable improvements in health and quality of life for patients who have experienced events such as heart attacks or been diagnosed with heart disease or trouble breathing, reports the hospital and CareSource Georgia. The clinic is also showing promise as a part of the rural hospital's ongoing efforts to remain viable and relevant to its community, said Evans Memorial CEO Bill Lee. CareSource Georgia, a nonprofit managed care plan health insurance provider, contributed $25,000 toward creation of the Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Clinic. Another $25,000 contribution came from the Strickland Foundation, a longtime EMH benefactor organization created by the late George W. "Jack" Strickland Jr. and his estate. Not to be confused with the longer-established Jack Strickland Rehabilitation & Wellness Center across the street, the clinic was set up inside a recently underused space, which once housed nuclear-medicine equipment, inside the main hospital.