“You don’t have a vibrant community unless you’re willing to help it become vibrant,” says Ann McCaig, chair emeritus of Calgary Health Foundation. “If you want things in your community, you’ve just got to get to work.” That’s exactly what she and her late husband Bud McCaig aimed to do when it came to healthcare. Before 1996, Calgary hospitals, continuing care, and community health centres were supported by individual health foundations. Bud, then-chair of the Calgary Regional Health Authority, was tasked with restructuring the healthcare system, and he saw an opportunity to make the greatest impact by consolidating the foundations. A UNITED HEALTHCARE MISSION Over the next few years, Bud helped bring together six foundations via the Calgary Health Trust (which later became Calgary Health Foundation). That paved the way for donors to join in a greater city-wide healthcare mission. Because of the incredible donor support for this pioneering idea, over $650 million has been raised over 30 years to revolutionize health outcomes. “He took it on as a business problem and he solved it,” Ann explains. “And the whole province was very grateful to Bud.” Today, Ann and fellow dedicated philanthropists continue to support healthcare. “We’re very committed to healthcare,” she says. “And in Calgary, we have this wonderful medical system. I’m a perfect example. I was in the hospital recently. The care I received was exceptional. We have something to be proud of. That’s what all the people who donate to Calgary Health Foundation want: excellence in healthcare.” 30 YEARS OF SUPPORTING EXCELLENCE IN HEALTHCARE Philanthropist Ann McCaig on the power of collaborative giving. By Colleen Seto | Photograph by Jared Sych
“That’s what all the people who donate to Calgary Health Foundation want: excellence in healthcare.” —Ann McCaig
A HEALTHY FUTURE FOR CALGARIANS As a health advocate, Ann firmly believes in Calgary Health Foundation’s important work. “We’re funding a lot of things, and it’s a huge responsibility. So many people rely on the Foundation for their funding. Look how we’ve grown and look at the people we’ve helped. I can’t imagine if you tried to put a number on the people who have been served by Calgary Health Foundation.” Calgary Health Foundation’s accomplishments demonstrate the breadth and reach of its unique model. It touches all aspects of healthcare delivery — including advances in breast cancer surgery and minimally invasive spine and cardiac surgery, major renovations of neonatal intensive care units, specialty Emergency Department pods, an endoscopy clinic, cardiac catheterization labs, and improved efficiencies in care models. It also collaborates with Alberta Health Services and public health authorities to meet the diverse needs of people across the city and throughout Southern Alberta. And it’s well-positioned to continue that work for another 30 years. “Bud felt we all had a responsibility to do what we could to make the community the very best it could be,” says Ann. Calgary Health Foundation continues that legacy.
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Breakthroughs [ Spring 2026 ]
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