Shooting for the Stars
A letter from the President & CEO
You may have heard me say before that I love a challenge. The bigger it is, the more determined I become.
I know from the support we get from our donors that there are thousands of you who respond to a call for action the same way – even in times of severe crisis like we have been living in since March, 2020 when it was announced that we were “going into lockdown” to stop the spread of the coronavirus
8881,167 patient visits in 2020-21 at the University of Alberta hospital site
677 patients were treated for COVID at the University of Alberta Hospital
228 patients treated for COVID in ICU at the University of Alberta Hospital
At that time, no one knew for sure what would happen next. The entire world seemed to be in a state of uncertainty.
Eighteen months later and nearly 1.5 million cases in Canada, including 26,700 deaths, COVID-19 is still consuming much of our lives.
Thousands of Albertans have had to find new ways to make a living. Family and small businesses have put up the fight of their lives to survive. And every day, we have worried. About ourselves. Our family. Our friends and our neighbours.
Like so many of you, the University Hospital Foundation faced challenges last year that we have never experienced before. The very core of our business – fundraising and friend-raising, bringing people together to find solutions to the most complex health-related challenges – was turned upside down.
Thanks to you, our incredible donors who made more donations in 2020-2021 than any other time in our history, we have been inspired to set our sights on going beyond a return to normal.
Dr. Jodi L. Abbott, President & CEO
We are turning our resilience to near-catastrophic disruption into a catalyst for change in health and healthcare in Alberta and around the world.
Let me explain. As the chaos of COVID-19 swept across the globe in 2020, the executive team at the University Hospital Foundation stepped back to identify organizations that were continuing to do well, those that were struggling, and most importantly, the differences between the two.
We discovered that those organizations that were able to adjust quickly, switch gears when needed and boldly disrupt longstanding approaches to achieve better results were the ones still thriving.
As proud as we are of the Foundation’s accomplishments over the years, we must do more, not the same, in our pursuit of better health. We must seek innovative approaches, new partnerships and bold ideas to bring the right people, resources and solutions together. To make this happen, and to hold us accountable to everything we say we are going to do, we have created a plan that establishes our promise and purpose for the next decade.
Ignite 2030 focuses on our role as agents of hope, boldly seeking solutions to the most complex challenges and making life better for Albertans, and for people around the world.
Strategic plan
Ignite 2030
I encourage anyone who wishes to learn more about Ignite 2030 to click on the link above.
There is something else I would like to say to all of you who supported the University Hospital Foundation in 2020-2021. I know you have heard this from us before, but you deserve to hear it again – thank you.
Thank you for your generous donations, for your perseverance in the face of unprecedented challenge and uncertainty, and for thinking of us while being consumed not only with the health and safety of yourself and immediate family members, but your parents and grandparents; with the education of your children; with the loss of face-to-face conversations and all-enveloping bear hugs; and missing once-in-a-lifetime occasions like the birth of a baby, or saying goodbye to a loved one.
Which brings me to something very personal to me. I lost Michael, my dear husband of 38 years, and my father, during COVID. Neither of them had the virus, but the very real danger of contracting it, and the protocols in place around social distancing, made their passing as surreal and unimaginable as they were tragic.
Despite the challenges that the pandemic caused on businesses around the world, the University Hospital Foundation saw an historic high in gift volumes. This has shown us there is no better place to invest than in our health system and our communities.
Chris Fowler, MA, Chair, Finance & Investment Committee
For those of you who have suffered similar losses, or are among the thousands of people who have been hit by the crippling economic impact of COVID, I wish you all the comfort and support you need to get through what you are dealing with.
Thank you also for your belief in the University Hospital Foundation as trusted stewards of your investment and in our ability to ensure that your gift would be used to its fullest potential.
As our community of donors grew, so too did the impact of your generosity. We distributed $16 million to critical areas of patient care and research at the University of Alberta Hospital, Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute and the Kaye Edmonton Clinic, our second highest distribution total ever.
Philanthropic and Operational Excellence
AHP High Performer Status
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.
Imagine Canada Accreditation
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.
Top 75 Employers
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.