More firsts made possible
2023-2024 Annual Impact Report
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Legacy do nor Donna’s story In 2019, Donna Palmer’s daughter, Erin, was living in Yellowknife, working for the Northwest Territories Geological Survey when she unexpectedly collapsed at work and had to be airlfted to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton in critical condition.
She was diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis, a rare condition where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy brain cells, leading to inflammation of the brain. After five months, Erin was released from hospital and eventually referred to the Neuroimmunology Clinic at South Health Campus in Calgary. Unfortunately, Erin continued to struggle and succumbed to the illness in January 2023. Donna cherishes the memory of her daughter as a kind and gentle soul—generous, quiet, and conscientious.
“I feel badly that her life was cut short. She was only 52. That’s why I want to honour her and have her name remembered with this gift,” Donna says. Donna generously gifted $100,000 to Calgary Health Foundation to start the Erin Lee Palmer Memorial Endowment Fund, an endowment designated for educational initiatives at the Neuroimmunology Clinic at South Health Campus. Her hope is that the gift will empower staff to deepen their understanding of autoimmune conditions, foster better connections with patients, and enhance their knowledge of rare medical diseases like her daughter’s. “I want Erin’s name to be remembered through the fund. If her experience can lead to other people being treated because medical professionals know more about the disease, then that would be a wonderful legacy.”
Did you know? You can honour the memory of a loved one by making a donation through Calgary Health Foundation. When you make a donation, you transform the memory into a lasting legacy.
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