CARING AND
Betty and Harold Allsopp
COMMUNITY Lived experiences help shape Harold and Betty Allsopps’ philanthropy. By Colleen Seto | Photograph by Jared Sych Harold and Betty Allsopp have travelled the world, but for the past 40 years, they’ve called Calgary home. Part of their time has been spent taking part in philanthropic endeavours that hold meaning for them. “If you have the means, it’s easy to make that decision to give back,” says Harold. “Some of the projects that we’ve been involved in match with what we’ve experienced.” That’s the case with the Harold and Betty Allsopp Women’s Cardiovascular Health Clinic at South Health Campus. Facilitated by a generous $5 million gift from the Harold and Betty Allsopp Fund at Calgary Foundation, the new centre is poised to transform heart care for women so they can live longer, fuller lives. Betty, who survived breast cancer, lives with serious cardiac issues stemming from her cancer treatment. “Women’s heart health is something that’s very important to me especially because we are very different from men in [how we experience] our heart issues and the way that we have to be treated for our heart ailments,” she says. Supporting the women’s cardiovascular clinic “directly relates to her experience with her cancer and cardiology events,” affirms Harold. The integrative clinic is designed to expand cardiovascular services and provide tailored care to women. Its overarching goal is to save more women’s lives through prevention, improved diagnosis, early intervention, and effective, coordinated treatment of cardiovascular conditions. “When people like Harold and Betty donate, it’s more than just a contribution; it’s a legacy,” says Dr. Roopinder Sandhu, director of the Women’s Cardiovascular Health Initiative and Clinic. “The clinic will deliver critical, multidisciplinary, team- based cardiovascular care that addresses cardiovascular conditions more prevalent in, or disproportionately affecting, women.” Learning about causes to support When the clinic was first introduced to the Allsopps by Calgary Health Foundation, it “resonated with our experience and Dr. Sandhu’s team was so excited about the project,”
says Betty. “They are so enthusiastic that you can’t help but be enthusiastic, too.” “The Foundation has the knowledge and exposed us to new projects,” adds Harold. “It plays a big role in identifying what’s out there and is a vehicle we trust for giving.” The Allsopps hope that the pilot clinic will help transform women’s healthcare. “I hope from the clinical side that this kind of ‘one-stop shopping’ will be helpful as opposed to having to go here and there,” says Harold. “I wish we’d had that [for Betty]. We were surprised at the number of disciplines that were just involved in the clinical side of it. And there’s the research too — to learn more about the differences between men’s and women’s heart issues.” The clinic will engage in cutting-edge research to answer the many questions regarding testing for and treatment of women’s cardiovascular conditions. Ultimately, for the Allsopps, it all boils down to feeling cared for and caring for others. “I have a great cardiologist and nurses, too,” says Betty. “They’re just so wonderful and helpful, but many people don’t have that. Some don’t even have a doctor. You have to care about others. We’ve been blessed, so we want to help others with our blessings.”
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Breakthroughs [ Fall 2026 ]
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