Calgary Health Foundation
2023-2024 Annual Impact Report
More firsts made possible
Calgary Health Foundation is a community-based charity that raises funds to advance healthcare in our city. We find opportunities to invest in excellence across the entire healthcare system, all to enhance outcomes and improve lives. Thanks to Calgary Health Foundation-funded initiatives, more people are able to enjoy life’s big moments and milestones. The “More firsts” concept celebrates the meaningful human experiences made possible by the Foundation’s relentless drive to improve healthcare outcomes over the past 27 years.
More advancements. More breakthroughs. More firsts for healthcare in Calgary.
Indigenous Land Acknowledgement In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we live, work, and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Stoney Nakoda, the M é tis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.
Advancing care for better lives
Message from our leaders
More firsts for healthcare in Calgary We all deserve healthy, happy lives, with access to world-leading healthcare right here in our city. Advancing that vision is why our team at Calgary Health Foundation comes to work each day. We strive to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives through better healthcare for everyone.
We are very grateful for the strategic leadership and thoughtful guidance Sandy Edmonstone offered as Calgary Health Foundation’s Board Chair over the past four years and throughout his 14 years on our Board. We are also thankful to Board Vice Chair Sarah Kennedy, who was appointed Interim Board Chair and has been involved with Calgary Health Foundation for over 11 years. The transition of Calgary Health Foundation Board leadership was completed in April. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, our staff are meaningfully impacting the lives of people in our community every day. As you will see throughout this report, donor contributions have a direct impact on advancing care and improving patients’ lives—now and in the future. Thank you to our donors, partners, staff, and volunteers. Your support all adds up to more firsts for more people, helping us advance care for better lives.
Welcome to Calgary Health Foundation’s 2023-2024 Annual Impact Report, “More firsts made possible.” This report shows how, thanks to your support, more people have been able to enjoy life’s big moments and milestones. We have seen more medical advancements, more breakthroughs, and more firsts for healthcare in Calgary. Over the past year, we celebrated some great firsts and ensured significant advancements for the future. Thanks to close collaboration with our stakeholders and the generosity of our donors, we have approved funding—and are actively fundraising for—four transformational and innovative initiatives in minimally invasive surgery. Each of these four initiatives will employ leading-edge technology, resulting in shorter hospital stays and faster recovery times, decreasing the potential for complications, and ultimately enhancing patients’ quality of life while reducing costs to our healthcare system. Through collaboration, philanthropy, and strategic investment, Calgary Health Foundation enables new levels of excellence across the entire healthcare system.
Rob Peabody Board Chair
Murray Sigler President & CEO
Contents 2023-2024 Annual Impact Report
More firsts made possible
05 Our volunteers
06 Snapshots of successes
We couldn’t do the work that we do without the experience and expertise of our volunteers.
In the past 27 years, Calgary Health Foundation has raised over $600M
with the support of community donors.
16 Financial information
22 More firsts in future impact • Cardiac care • Indigenous health
08 Impact stories
• Donations • Lotteries • More firsts in
• More firsts
from physicians • More firsts for donors & grateful patients • More firsts for Carewest residents
• Mental health • Seniors’ health • Surgery • Women’s health
event fundraising • Charitable disbursements • Financial statements 2023-2024
givehealth.ca
05
Our volunteers Calgary Health Foundation is fortunate to benefit from the experience and expertise of community volunteers. We would like to express our gratitude to all those who commit their time and talent to ensure our organization is well positioned for the future. A special thank you to those whose terms of service to our Board ended in 2023-2024.
Executive Leadership
Board of Directors *As of June 30, 2024
Rob Peabody Board Chair
Sarah Kennedy Amanda Kousinioris Alice Lam Tricia Leadbeater Eda Libin Rod McKay Catherine MacNeill Mark Owerko Dave Routledge
Iveta Andreeva Mark Anselmo Kirk Bailey Nancy Calvin Chris Eagle Kate Fischer Brianna Guenther Kathy Hnatiuk Richard Hu Lesley Hutcheson
» Paul Rossmann
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Murray Sigler Ex-Officio, President & CEO
» Michael Birnie Vice President &
Chief Technology Officer
» Rebecca Bowman Vice President, Philanthropy & Chief Development Officer
» Delcie Eldred Vice President, People & Culture
» James McCurdy Vice President, Marketing & Communications
» Kathryn Wanvig Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
More firsts made possible
2023-2024 Annual Impact Report
6 06
Snapshot of successes
In the past 27 years, Calgary Health Foundation has raised $600M+ with the support of community donors.
Thanks to an ongoing partnership with the National Music Centre/ Studio Bell , JB Music Therapy , and the generous support of our community, we’ve made it possible to provide life-changing experiences for patients through music therapy in our hospitals. Calgary Health Foundation awarded three Indigenous Health scholarships to students last June for showing excellence in pursuing education in a healthcare field and for their dedication to helping their community.
givehealth.ca
07
We have continued celebrating successes as a result of our $152M Newborns Need campaign, including the opening of the James and Patricia Burns Simulation Lab, which will improve care for newborns. Room mockups for the NICU expansion at Foothills Medical Centre have also been completed. As a result of this expansion, bed spaces will increase from 39 to 52, plus three temporary use spaces. Nearly $34,000 was raised in February 2024 for Heart Month . This will be used for funding two more cardiac catheterization labs in order to deliver the very best possible outcomes for patients. With the support of nearly 2,500 Champions of Health (our monthly donors), our hospitals are better equipped to plan for future needs. Contributions totalled over $800,000 , funding state-of-the-art technology, innovative programs, research, and education.
We launched Heroes in Health at all four hospital sites. Heroes in Health is part of our Grateful Patient initiative. Patients and their families can visit our website to make a gift through Calgary Health Foundation and recognize their healthcare heroes. Over the last year, we received $134,000 in donations from Grateful Patients. Through your generosity, we raised $62,786 on Giving Tuesday 2023. Thanks to a generous donor, your gifts were matched, resulting in a total of $125,572 to purchase four new brain stimulation machines at Foothills Medical Centre and Peter Lougheed Centre. Through Calgary Health Foundation’s support, each of our four adult acute care sites received a Q-NRG indirect calorimeter last year. These devices enable dietitians to accurately measure the precise caloric needs and nutritional requirements of patients, including those who have a breathing tube.
Your support throughout the holiday season gave us hope for the holidays . Hundreds of donors shared patient well wishes and helped us raise over $250,000 to support critical mental health initiatives throughout our hospitals and care facilities. A mental health research project, led by Dr. Jacqueline Smith called EMBER (Exploring Mental health Barriers in Emergency Rooms) launched in 2023. The EMBER project identifies gaps in knowledge, training, care, and understanding to make urgent changes in how treatment is provided to and received by patients with mental health concerns, and to address the damaging stigma that continues to surround these health problems. We celebrated the opening of the Early Pregnancy Assessment and Maternity Triage space at South Health Campus. This new space helps take patients out of the Emergency Department, providing them with a more appropriate atmosphere for their specific care requirements.
More firsts made possible
2023-2024 Annual Impact Report
08
More firsts from physicians
Dr. May Lynn Quan: More firsts in breast cancer treatment
Through donor support, Calgary Health Foundation is dedicated to funding health projects that make breakthroughs possible for the thousands of people who rely on our healthcare system every day.
Photo credit: Jared Sych
givehealth.ca
09
Dr. May Lynn Quan has dedicated her career to breast cancer. She is the medical director of the Calgary Breast Health Program, scientific director of SPHERE (Strategies for Precision Health in Breast Cancer), general surgery site lead at Foothills Medical Centre, and a professor at the University of Calgary’s Department of Oncology. Seeing first-hand how treatment advancements can make a difference in the life of someone facing cancer, Dr. Quan has focused her work on making surgery as comfortable and effective as possible. Surgery requires carefully pin- pointing mammogram-detected tumours, which are too small to locate through a manual exam.
To mark the tumour for removal, patients have traditionally visited an imaging facility on the morning of their surgery to have an invasive, uncomfortable hook wire implanted. The wire protrudes from the breast and requires the patient to travel to a surgical centre within two hours of its implantation to have the tumour removed, all without accidentally being moved. “Hook wires have been the standard for decades,” Dr. Quan says. “The good news is we have made progress and have other ways to identify these lesions.” Over the past five years, Dr. Quan has switched to using the less invasive and more accurate option of implanting radioactive seeds. A Geiger counter is used to read the seed’s location, meaning less damage to breast tissue and a less stressful experience for the patient. While these seeds mean a more accurate and less stressful approach to surgery, they have raised concerns about the dangers of radioactivity. Enter magnetic seeds. The new pilot uses Magseed ® , a product which, like the radioactive seeds, involves placing a marker resembling a grain of rice at the tumour site. Unlike the radioactive version, though, these seeds allow surgeons to magnet- ically locate the marker and, therefore, the tumour without the use of radioactive materials. This means the seeds can sit safely and indefinitely in the breast without risk of dislodging or pain, allowing for less urgent and complicated scheduling, and fewer imaging appointments. The best part: surgeons are more able to remove the tumour in one operation. “This technology allows us to be efficient with our healthcare resources to improve the patient journey,” Dr. Quan says. “We’re very excited about the funding from Calgary Health Foundation to bring it to Calgarians and to provide data for the rest of the province so that we can hopefully bring it to patients across Alberta.”
Through the support of Calgary Health Foundation, and a significant gift from Alberta Cancer Foundation, Dr. Quan has been instrumental in bringing a new pilot program to Alberta that will revolutionize the way patients in Calgary experience breast- preserving cancer surgery.
More firsts made possible
2023-2024 Annual Impact Report
10
Dr. Annalee Coakley: Supporting Calgary’s refugee population
Calgary is one of the primary ports of entry for refugees. This is a fact that Dr. Annalee Coakley, co-director of Refugee Health YYC, and former medical director of the Calgary Refugee Health Program, is very aware of.
givehealth.ca
11
including access to vaccinations, dental and pharmacy care, prenatal supports, cognitive assessments, counselling, and help with transportation and resettlement. Recognizing the importance of supporting newcomers, TD has committed to ensuring the best care is available to some of our newest residents by working closely with Calgary Health Foundation to continue funding the Mosaic Refugee Health Clinic. Calgary’s refugee health program is recognized as the gold standard, not only in Canada, but globally. When it comes to sharing information about the gold standard of refugee healthcare, Dr. Coakley has spoken on the international stage. She has been invited to Geneva twice to present on how Canada addresses refugee health, and was part of the Global Refugee Forum. Reflecting on her work, Dr. Coakley is most drawn to the connections she has formed with her patients: “I came for the tropical disease, but I stayed for the patients. Seeing people come as newly arrived refugee families and then watching them buy their first homes, send their kids to university, become grandparents… it’s such a privilege to be able to play a part in their journeys. This kind of work could not be done without Calgary Health Foundation and their incredible donors.”
As a family physician, Dr. Coakley is focused on caring for vulnerable patients, in particular refugees. It started when Dr. Coakley attended the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. She had a great interest in the history of tropical disease and after completing her program and returning to Calgary, discovered that working with refugees, who are often from tropical countries, would be a good way to maintain those skills. With this in mind, she joined the Calgary Refugee Health Program, which evolved into the Mosaic Refugee Health Clinic. Supported by Calgary Health Foundation, the Mosaic Refugee Health Clinic provides essential medical care and health services to newcomers who arrive as refugees. The clinic addresses women’s health, family health, children’s health, mental health, and offers transition services to support patients in finding a family doctor in their community. During the pandemic, when refugees had to isolate for two weeks following their arrival in Canada, a grant from TD Bank Group, funded through Calgary Health Foundation, enabled the clinic to expand its staffing to serve refugees while they lived in temporary accommodations. The clinic was also able to hire a position to specifically address health concerns of temporarily housed refugees and provide a number of supports and services,
“The generous funding from TD, through Calgary Health Foundation, allowed the Mosaic Refugee Health Clinic to meet the health needs of Afghan newcomers upon their arrival in Calgary. By meeting their needs while they were in temporary accommodations, we were able to provide timely care in the community and prevent their health from deteriorating, requiring the services of our already overloaded hospitals.” —DR. COAKLEY
More firsts made possible
2023-2024 Annual Impact Report
12
More firsts for donors & grateful patients
Chris’
story
Monthly do nor
As a young adult, Chris Blender was diagnosed with Berger disease, a kidney disorder that, over time, can make it difficult for the kidneys to filter waste from the blood.
For many years, Chris found himself navigating the healthcare system while dealing with these issues. He received dialysis at Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre and was very impressed by the care and compassion shown to him by staff members there: “I can’t say enough great things about the staff at Sheldon Chumir who helped me through this phase.” Finally, at the age of 49, Chris required a kidney transplant. He had been going into kidney failure for about a year and his only option was a life- saving kidney transplant, which happened successfully in 2019 at Foothills Medical Centre. To thank all the healthcare workers who helped him,
Chris set up a monthly donation to Calgary Health Foundation, and has been donating consistently since 2020, the year after his kidney transplant. For Chris, it is something he can do to help others in the same situation. “Once you’ve had access to the services provided, you realize how critical they are. I plan on giving for the rest of my days because it’s important to me that others can receive the same level of care that I received.” — CHRIS BLENDER
givehealth.ca
13
Cenovus & Elbow River Healing Lodge
Corporate do nor
Located in Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre, the Elbow River Healing Lodge opened its doors in 2008, offering primary care services and visiting specialists to Indigenous patients. It is the only Indigenous-focused primary care clinic in Calgary. Cenovus Energy believes advancing Indigenous reconciliation means taking meaningful action. That’s why Cenovus generously donated $250,000 , through Calgary Health Foundation, towards the renovation of Elbow River Healing Lodge. Andrea Louise is the senior Indigenous inclusion advisor at Cenovus. This role includes taking the lead on Indigenous reconciliation as one of Cenovus’ social investment focus areas. As Andrea explains, “Indigenous reconciliation has been woven into Cenovus’ whole culture in terms of how we conduct ourselves and how we do business. Partnering with Calgary Health Foundation on the renovation of the Elbow River Healing Lodge is one way Cenovus has taken meaningful action in this space.” As a patient of Elbow River Healing Lodge herself, Andrea sees the great value this facility offers Indigenous people across our community: “I can’t say enough about the facility and the care provided. I have experienced such genuine and authentic care at the Lodge, and truly believe in the value of this renovation.” Providing a culturally safe space is important. Elbow River Healing Lodge was designed to engage patients with wrap- around holistic care. This means that physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of wellness are all addressed at Elbow River Healing Lodge.
Access to ancestral wellness practices is
essential to reconciliation, healing, balance, healthy communities, and taking steps toward decolonizing our healthcare system.
Did you know? There is a meaningful, tangible way to say “thank you” to a caregiver, or team of caregivers, who made a difference in your healthcare journey. Consider becoming a Grateful Patient by making a gift to honour a staff member who made a difference.
More firsts made possible
2023-2024 Annual Impact Report
14
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.
givehealth.ca
15
More firsts for Carewest residents
More than just a bus Leisure outings are only one of the ways Bus #47 is being used. These outings have proven to boost the mood of residents, decrease their depression and aggression, and ultimately have a ripple effect on Carewest staff and the other residents. Day trips to places like Mount Lorette Ponds in Kananaskis, or PaSu Farm just north of the city, allow residents the chance to experience a world that would otherwise be unavailable to them. “Carewest Bus #47 plays an indispensable role in enhancing the quality of life of residents living at Rouleau Manor. We are truly grateful for the donation that made the purchase of the bus possible.” —EMILY, RECREATION THERAPIST AT ROULEAU MANOR Carewest Bus #47 has also been used for regional emergency response and evacuation support. The devastating wildfires Alberta and the Northwest Territories experienced in the summer of 2023 resulted in long-term care and medical patients requiring relocation. Bus #47 was used to transport evacuees to and from the Calgary airport to their temporary shelters around the city.
Photo credit: Carewest Dr. Vernon Fanning CCC Recreation
Adults of various ages living with diverse physical, cognitive, and mental health conditions call Carewest home. The Carewest transportation fleet is vital to the public care provider’s mandate to enhance residents’ quality of life. Thanks to the generous support of Calgary Health Foundation donors, the newest Carewest vehicle, Bus #47, is at the heart of the Carewest fleet. With the addition of this new bus, Carewest can continue to offer its residents memorable experiences and opportunities to connect.
Did you know?
Through your donations, Calgary Health Foundation supports 12 Carewest facilities in Calgary. Carewest programs and services cover a range of care including long- term care, rehabilitation and recovery services, and community programs.
More firsts made possible
2023-2024 Annual Impact Report
16
Revenue
2023-2024 Revenue = $22,512,686 * *Donations, net lotteries revenue, and net event revenue
Donations Our fundraising activities are benchmarked to industry best practices, and inspire the community to make philanthropic donations in support of our mission.
Lotteries Our charitable lottery revenues are raised through our three lottery programs—Foothills Hospital Home Lottery, Hospital Home Lottery, and WinWin Staff Lottery. Our lottery programs have a great return on investment. They are essential to our overall success and make up 61 % , or a net of $13,797,475 , of our total fundraising revenue. We continuously evaluate the return on investment of all our lottery programs. The expenses of these programs include the purchase of prizing and program marketing. We are proud to say that we run some of the most efficient lotteries in Canada.
6%
16%
52%
26%
Foundations
$4,274,876 $2,153,827
» Gross revenue
$ 33,423,579
Individual donors
» Less prizes
$ 12,559,569
$1,276,194
Corporate donors
» Less other expenses
$7,066,535
$521,567
Estates
Net revenue
$13,794,475
$8,226,464
Calgary Health Foundation is committed to transparency in our reporting.
Our Finance & Audit Committee of the Board ensures we continue to operate both efficiently and effectively, while pursuing opportunities to grow our organization’s impact for our donors, our community, and healthcare. We report financial information in two ways: Audited Financial Statements available on the Foundation’s website (givehealth.ca/financials2024) and through filing the Registered Charity Information Return (T3010), which can be found on the Government of Canada’s website. While both formats utilize the same information, the Foundation’s Audited Financial Statements provide a more detailed assessment of the organization’s performance.
givehealth.ca
17
More firsts in event fundraising
$120K
$206K
$115K
$15K
In our 11 years of partnering with the Shoppers Drug Mart Run for Women, your participation
The Country Hills Mercedes-Benz Fashion Show raised $120,000 in support of Calgary’s neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), ensuring our littlest patients get what they need to thrive.
The Hearts vs. Minds Charity Golf Tournament celebrated its 10-year anniversary, awakening the competitive side of care teams in both Cardiac Sciences (hearts) and Clinical Neurosciences (minds) at Foothills Medical Centre. The $15,000 raised through the tournament benefits each respective department through Calgary Health Foundation.
EllisDon has supported Calgary Health Foundation and many healthcare initiatives over the years. The 2023 EllisDon Golf Tournament raised an impressive $115,000! This gift will continue to support the emerging needs of our healthcare teams in delivering the best care possible.
and generosity has raised over
$1.3M in support of women’s mental health initiatives in our community! In 2023, over 1,500 event participants helped raise $206,000 to support the Women’s Mental Health Clinic.
Calgary Health Foundation raised $709,061 per each full-time employee for net fundraising revenues of $22,512,686 showing that our small team is able to effectively work with donors in ensuring a big impact.
Fundraising efficiency
More firsts made possible
2023-2024 Annual Impact Report
18
Charitable disbursements Funds invested to advance healthcare
T otal disbursements = $15,977,720
3 %
3 %
23 %
24 %
40 %
40 %
34 %
33 %
Disbursements by location
Disbursements by type
$6,475,577 Acute care (hospitals)
$5,248,666 Capital projects & equipment
40 %
33 %
$3,625,107 Carewest & community
$3,873,067 Programs & education
23%
24 %
$5,387,616 University of Calgary
$6,366,567 Research*
34 %
40 %
$489,420 Other organizations
$489,420 Other organizations
3 %
3 %
* Includes disbursements to the University of Calgary
givehealth.ca
19
Cumulative disbursements Per year 2024 = $16M
Cumulative = $475M
Cumulative + committed = $546M
$600M
$500M
$400M
$300M
$200M
$100M
Funding commitments = $71,131,544
» Less than 1 year $15,375,533
» 2 years
» 3 years
» 4 years
» 5 years + thereafter $33,246,089
$7,517,108
$3,509,723
$11,483,091
Funding commitments include approved projects with either a signed Funding Agreement or signed Memorandum of Understanding as at March 31, 2024. Other funding will take place on an ongoing basis and we anticipate our future commitments to continue to increase.
More firsts made possible
2023-2024 Annual Impact Report
20
Financial statements 2023-2024
On May 29, 2024, our independent auditors, Ernst & Young LLP, issued an unqualified audit report on the financial statements of Calgary Health Foundation for the year ended March 31, 2024. The 2023-2024 audited financial statements, including the independent auditors’ report thereon, are available on the Calgary Health Foundation website (givehealth.ca/reporting2024) or by contacting the Calgary Health Foundation office at (403) 943-0615. The following information summarizes the financial position and the operations and changes in fund balances for Calgary Health Foundation for the year ended March 31, 2024.
Calgary Health Foundation SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION As at March 31
2024 $
2023 $
Assets Cash
85,016,128
85,755,285
Accounts receivable
481,661
5,758,119
Prepaid expenses
1,507,963
1,659,480
Investments – at market value
96,243,340
106,729,608
Other assets
2,280,683
2,156,068
202,058,560
185,529,775
Liabilities Accounts payable & accrued liabilities
2,511,118
2,868,412
Charitable disbursements payable
747,215
982,574
Deferred revenue – lotteries and events
14,225,036
16,556,637
20,407,623
17,483,369
Fund balances Operating fund
22,160,151
22,324,082
Restricted fund
111,705,413
118,957,645
Endowment fund
33,634,590
32,766,110
174,047,837
167,500,154
Accumulated remeasurement gains
546,252
7,603,100
202,058,560
185,529,775
givehealth.ca
21
Calgary Health Foundation SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES Year ended March 31
2024 $
2023 $
Revenue Donations
9,812,659
8,226,464
Lotteries (net)
14,321,394
13,797,475
Events (net)
580,852
488,747
24,714,905
22,512,686
Grants – Alberta Health Services
437,127
438,384
Grants – other government
14,350
691
Investment income
6,389,278
7,833,786
30,785,547
31,555,660
Expenses Operating expenses
7,747,121
8,260,144
Excess of revenue over expenditures before charitable disbursements
22,525,403
23,808,539
Charitable disbursements
Alberta Health Services
11,364,036
10,100,684
University of Calgary
3,110,741
5,387,616
Other organizations
854,000
489,420
15,977,720
15,328,777
Excess of revenue over expenditures and charitable disbursements
6,547,683
8,479,762
Fund balance, beginning of year
167,500,154
159,020,392
Fund balance, end of year
174,047,837
167,500,154
More firsts made possible
2023-2024 Annual Impact Report
22
More firsts in future impact
Indigenous health Promoting health equity + culturally appropriate care
Cardiac care Getting to the heart of the matter
Mental health Raising hope: where healing begins
Prioritizing healthcare equity means building a healthcare system that meets the unique needs of specific populations. The needs of Indigenous communities are linked to unique practices tied to knowledge, traditions, medicine, and ceremonies passed down for generations. That’s why Calgary Health Foundation is supporting the development of Indig- enous Healing Gardens at 11 acute and urgent care facilities in Calgary and surrounding commun-
Every 20 minutes someone in Canada dies from cardiac issues. Calgary Health Foundation is supporting transformative initiatives to advance cardiovascular health in Calgary and southern Alberta. Cardiac catheterization labs (cath labs) are essential spaces for advancing cardiac care for patients of all ages by providing the ideal environment to perform less invasive cardiac tests and procedures to diagnose cardiovascular disease. Calgary Health Foundation is supporting the redevelopment of two more cath labs, after the successful opening of the first newly renovated lab in the fall of 2023. The cath labs enable early interventions that help prevent higher risk surgeries in the future and enable patients having minimally invasive procedures to spend less time in the hospital and recover more quickly.
Approximately 60,000 Albertans are affected by eating disorders, with an estimated 140,000 additional people going undiagnosed. Calgary Health Foundation has joined forces with Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation and Silver Linings Foundation to expand the province’s current programs and services to create a comprehensive, connected, and multi-disciplinary care system for those with eating disorders right here in Calgary. The new system will offer specialized care for individuals at different phases of their recovery.
ities. The gardens will combine plants, art,
education, and cultural symbolism that provide healing to anyone accessing the site while being particularly mindful of the needs of Indigenous visitors.
givehealth.ca
23
Seniors’ health Growing older together
Surgery Transforming innovation in the OR and beyond
Women’s health Addressing inequality in care
More than 725,000 Albertans are over the age of 65, a population that continues to climb faster than any other age group. Calgary Health Foundation understands the need to prioritize the care, well- being, and support of aging Calgarians. Initiatives include programs to keep seniors active, socialized, and engaged—like the Move ’n Mingle class— specialized care services specific to the illnesses and injuries experienced by older adults—like the Calgary Fall Prevention Clinic—and initiatives that help seniors live independently at home for as long as possible. A focus on Seniors’ Health also means supporting the professionals who care for older Albertans by providing them with the training, equipment, and resources to excel at their jobs.
Innovation in surgery allows for new procedures, less invasive techniques, and enhanced support through- out the care journey. The first Endoscopic Spine Surgery Program (ESS) in Canada is being launched at Foothills Medical Centre with the support of Calgary Health Foundation. ESS is an alternative to traditional back surgery. This ultra- minimally invasive spine surgery allows the surgeon to make smaller incisions, reduces tissue trauma and blood loss, decreases recovery time, and vastly improves the patient experience. The ESS program will ensure Calgary remains in the forefront of spinal surgery advancement, research, and education and will revolutionize spinal care in Southern Alberta and across Canada.
Women’s health is central to overall family health; however, women’s unique health needs have not received equal attention, funding, and advocacy. Calgary Health Foundation is supporting a research initiative that is multi- disciplinary, partnering with different research institutes to better under- stand diseases that are prevalent among women, such as cardiovascular disease, chronic pain, and osteoporosis. We are also focused on developing a Women’s Health Hub, which would address the expansion and innovation of high- demand services, such as pelvic floor health.
More firsts created together.
Calgary Health Foundation 800–11012 Macleod Trail SE Calgary, AB T2J 6A5 fundraising@calgaryhealthfoundation.ca (403) 943–0615
Calgary Health Foundation is a community-based charity that raises funds to advance healthcare in our city. We find opportunities to invest in excellence across the entire healthcare system, all to enhance outcomes and improve lives.
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24Powered by FlippingBook