How do you inspire hope?
Sometimes all it takes is a smile, a pat on the shoulder or a few well-timed words of encouragement.
At the University Hospital Foundation (UHF), inspiring hope is at the core of everything we do. In fact, we see ourselves as Agents of Hope, boldly seeking solutions to the most complex health and healthcare-related challenges.
Our organization is uniquely situated at the nexus of health sciences, academia and research, and we are nimble, quick and ready to take action. The catalyst for change that ignites new ideas and brings the right people from the right places into the room to make things happen.
We see you as Agents of Hope as well. Whether you are one of our generous donors or a corporate partner or sponsor, you inspired hope by making a donation or contribution to UHF. The support we received led to the successful funding of the West Edmonton Kidney Care centre, the newest dialysis centre in Edmonton.
Thanks to all of you, even more people like Taryn Gantar, who are living with end-stage kidney disease will have access to advanced training and education facilities aimed at making the transition from in-centre to home hemodialysis more manageable.
Many of the dialysis patients we talked to credited dialyzing at home with giving them their lives back. Instead of spending 12-15 hours a week, plus travel, on a dialysis machine at the hospital, they can dialyze when they want, for as long as they want, in the comfort of their own home. They feel better. Their lives become more balanced. They start to live again.
That is the power of hope in action. And last year, because of you, there was a lot of action. Thanks to outstanding community support, the total amount of funds raised through our ever-popular 2021 Full House Lottery reached a new record. And our signature fundraising event at the end of 2021, the Festival of Trees, exceeded our fundraising expectations and our goal .
Last but not least, our annual Heart Pledge Day, held in February 2022 with our wonderful new host-partner up! 99.3, rounded out our fundraising streak by setting a new fundraising all time high.
Our many strategic partnerships, which include investment from both the public and private sectors, served as another source of inspiration and hope. Through these collaborations, we are advancing new models of care that are building a brighter future.
So, I say to all of you, thank you for joining us as Agents of Hope in the communities we call home and in the world around us. As always, we are so much stronger with you.
Dr. Jodi L. Abbott, ICD.D.
President and CEO
As I reflect on my first year as Chair of the University Hospital Foundation’s Board of Trustees, what moves me most is the impact we’ve had on patient care and research at the University of Alberta Hospital (UAH) site, and the progress we’ve already made in transforming health and health care around the world as part of Ignite 2030, our 10-year strategic plan.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors and support and collaboration with our corporate and strategic partners, we surpassed our fundraising goals and distributed over $20.2 million to critically important areas of care at the University of Alberta Hospital site and throughout the community we serve.
The record-breaking responses to Festival of Trees and Heart Pledge Day meant that people living with end-stage kidney disease and serious heart conditions will have even greater access to advanced, life-saving treatments.
Through the Brain Centre Campaign, UHF raised critical funds towards a Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit, and in February, the Government of Alberta approved the additional funding needed for the new state-of-the-art facility – the Leona and Kenneth Biggs & Dr. Peter B.R. Allen Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit.
Not only is that the best news possible for patients with life-threatening brain and spinal cord conditions, it also rewards the tireless efforts and steadfast determination of two of my predecessors – Jim Brown and Guy Scott – who, in addition to serving as UHF Board Chairs, co-chaired our very successful Brain Centre Campaign.
Donations to our COVID 19 Emergency Response Fund supported the frontline workers and medical teams by providing comfort in the form of care packages that expressed, in a small yet meaningful way, our immense gratitude for their commitment and resilience amidst unprecedented strain.
In a year of challenges posed by a still-present pandemic and an unpredictable economy, our donors, partners, fellow volunteers and of course, the dedicated staff at UHF, displayed similar determination and resolve.
And that’s why, thanks to all of you, Ignite 2030 is off and running. Our first full year of being Agents of Hope, continuously seeking solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems, is in the books – and I can feel the momentum growing with every passing day.
I would also like to take a moment to officially welcome our two newest board members, Naila Jivraj and Chris Gower. The expertise and experience you bring to UHF make us even stronger and more adaptable to the year ahead.
Joette Decore, MBA
Board Chair
Every dollar makes a difference.
Donors to the University Hospital Foundation play a critical role in funding health innovation and access to critical care. Their generous gifts allow our healthcare heroes to remain at the forefront of patient care at the University of Alberta Hospital site in areas ranging from brain and cardiac care to urology, trauma, transplantation and many more.
Community support also gives researchers the means they need to pursue answers to some of the most challenging – and devastating – health conditions of our time. Thanks to critical funding, we are supporting researchers this very moment as they search for answers to diabetes, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and multiple sclerosis. Thanks to our donors, breakthrough discoveries made here have impact not only on the lives of Albertans and Canadians but people around the world.
Investments in our medical teams and researchers in 2021-2022 by major gift donors played a significant role advancing patient care and research, including expansion of the West Edmonton Kidney Care.
We would like to recognize the incredible donations given this past year by the Mui Kwok Buddhist Temple, Qualico Homes and Go Auto, as well as the generous gifts made to the UHF by individual donors.
“One in four Canadians will be touched by cardiac disease at some point in their lives. Millions of them will come to the Maz. We have to be ready to give the best care possible for every one of them.”
Dr. Jodi L. Abbott, President & CEO
Uniquely positioned within one of Canada’s top academic health centres, the University Hospital Foundation plays a leading role in the health ecosystem of Alberta, facilitating research and supporting innovation through strategic partnerships.
Our position between government, health delivery, research systems and industry enables us to work as a boundary-spanning organization, bridging knowledge gaps and serving as a catalyst to facilitate more partnerships, through which we continue to establish a collective vision and priorities for action.
Guided by Ignite 2030, our ten-year strategic plan, we have set a course to boldly disrupt longstanding, traditional approaches to health care with a focus on patient experience, health equity, community-based care, multi-disciplinary models of care and wholistic ways of preventing illness.
Over the past several years, we have been leading strategic partnerships in the areas of transplantation, neuroscience, cardiometabolic conditions and associated co morbidities.
Signature fundraising events are a key means for us to connect with our community and raise funds together in a way that is unforgettable, exciting and inclusive.
With hundreds of luxurious prizes and two dream homes to win, the 2021 Full House Lottery raised more than $3 million, of which a portion supported cardiac care and innovation at the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute.
For the past 28 years, Full House Lottery supporters have made an incredible difference at Edmonton’s two largest hospital sites – the Royal Alexandra Hospital and the University of Alberta Hospital site. More than $92 million has been raised to help fund life-changing programs, from neo-natal intensive care, to critical brain care, to the Stroke Ambulance. Proceeds from Full House Lottery have also helped fund world-class facilities like the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of corporate sponsors, donors and festival-goers, the University Hospital Foundation reached its 2021 Festival of Trees goal to raise $1 million to improve the quality of life for Albertans living with end-stage kidney disease. Qualico Homes also contributed $750,000 – a generous gift that helped UHF surpass its 2021 fundraising goal and offer critical support to West Edmonton Kidney Care.
“Our patients and staff are immensely grateful for the support we received from the University Hospital Foundation’s Festival of Trees,” said Dr. Kailash Jindal, Medical Director, Alberta Kidney Care – North. “Thanks to the incredible efforts of Festival volunteers and the generosity of our community, people living with end-stage kidney disease will soon have access to expanded care and training for home therapies.”
The 2021 Festival of Trees, presented by Landmark Homes, offered thousands of Albertans numerous ways to celebrate the season including a Santa’s Breakfast in private, heated domes at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden; a curated Festival in a Box with treats and activities; the Santa’s Little Guests program, which visited 10 local schools with stories and treats; a Decorated and Delivered festival tree or decoration; Gifts of Gratitude for healthcare workers; and an online auction and 50/50 Draw.
As one of six organizations in Canada to receive such recognition in 2020, this designation is a testament to our commitment to our mission – to advance excellence – in everything we do, including our daily operations and financial integrity.
Through accreditation, we join a growing community of more than 200 organizations dedicated to operational excellence. Imagine Canada exists to work alongside other charitable sector organizations to ensure that charities continue to play a pivotal role in building, enriching and defining our nation.
The University Hospital Foundation was recognized as one of Alberta’s Top 75 Employers for 2022. This special designation recognizes the Alberta employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work.
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