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Updated: 2009-02-03 / Responsible publisher: Pablo González Dorta

History

The history of Vintersol goes back to the 50’s, when the Swedish Mr Bengt Rylander, with Multiple Sclerosis, and Mr Olle Ryding, suffering from rheumatic arthritis, arrived at Tenerife to try to improve their health.

These pioneers found in Tenerife the best climate for their diagnoses. They were settled in what then was a small town of fishermen called Los Cristianos. At the beginning there were many problems since neither Tenerife nor Spain were prepared for the physical rehabilitation. In addition to that, the inhabitants of Los Cristianos were not at all familiarized with the problems that physically handicapped people could have.

These first pioneers did not give up and continued to struggle until they found the way so that both the Swedish and Spanish authorities helped them in their project to open a rehabilitation centre.

During this long and tough process they had much help from Mr Peder Larsen, without whose voluntary efforts Vintersol had perhaps never existed.

In 1965, after 3 years of construction, Vintersol was inaugurated. The ceremony was presided over by the Swedish ambassador and representants of the Spanish government. The official name of the Centre in 1965 was “Centro de Rehabilitación Ramón y Cajal” (Ramón y Cajal Rehabilitation Centre).

From 1965 to 1980 Vintersol is managed by the owner foundation and during that time the services were mainly aimed to patients with neurological diagnoses. Vintersol had then space to house 60 patients.

Between 1980 and 1990 Vintersol is directed by the Suvab Society, joint property of the Provincial Administration of Public Services and the Foundation for Rheuma, Psoriasis and Neurological Diseases. It was during this period that Vintersol began to offer rehabilitation to patients with rheumatic diseases. It is also during this period that plans are carried out to construct a new building allowing 30 more patients to be housed. The new facilities were inaugurated in 1991 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Mr Sten Andersson.

From 1991 Vintersol turns to be managed by Humlegården Ltd., a Spanish society that counts with more than 15 years of experience in the rehabilitation sector.

It was also during the 90’s when Vintersol opened its doors to patients from other European nationalities. Today Vintersol works directly with patients from all the European countries.

In 1997 Vintersol began a period of constant renovation to be able to face the new times (both technologies and renovated skills).

In year 2001 the most recent facilities were inaugurated: the premises for the policlinic activity and a gymnasium with the last advances in addition to the premises for the administration and reception.