by KAITLYN PETRY / illustrations AMANDA GODDARD
IN 2019, DONORS came together to commit a transformational $10 million gift to the University of Alberta Hospital’s Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute (the Maz) — an investment in innovation and modernization that’s already changing lives. With an additional $419,250 added in 2023, the impact of this funding is clear: cutting-edge technology, advanced research and improved care for heart patients. From upgrading life-saving equipment to funding groundbreaking research, this investment is making a difference across the Maz.
For patients facing life-threatening heart and lung failure, advanced technology can mean the difference between life and death. The Mechanical Circulatory Support program at the Maz now has new state-of-the-art equipment to provide lifesustaining support for both adult and pediatric patients. These advanced devices support patients with end-stage heart and lung failure, allowing time for their organs to recover or bridging them to a transplant when needed.
The adult exercise stress test lab received a major upgrade with new treadmills and an ergometer bike, ensuring patients get the most accurate assessments of their heart function. Stress tests are a critical tool for diagnosing heart disease, measuring cardiac performance and helping physicians determine the best treatment options for each patient.
New Holter monitors and advanced software are now in place, giving health-care teams better tools to detect dangerous arrhythmias — irregular heart rates or rhythms that can lead to serious complications like cardiac arrest or syncope. These portable devices track heart rate and rhythm over extended periods, helping doctors make more precise diagnoses.
Recovering from a heart event requires ongoing care, including access to cardiac rehabilitation. But not all patients can easily access in-person programs. The My Heart Coach platform was launched as part of the Northern Alberta Cardiac Rehabilitation program. This virtual rehab program allows patients to participate from home, improving access and engagement. Many patients use a hybrid model — attending some sessions in person and others online — while nearly 20 per cent of patients indicated they wouldn’t have participated in rehab at all without this option.
For patients suffering from mitral valve regurgitation — a condition where blood leaks backward through the mitral valve — treatment options have traditionally been limited to open-heart surgery. But thanks to the new Transcatheter Edge-To-Edge program, appropriately selected patients at the Maz now have access to a minimally invasive alternative. So far, eight patients have undergone the procedure, experiencing shorter hospital stays and faster recoveries compared to those who undergo traditional surgery.
Recovering from heart surgery can be complex, and timely follow-up care is crucial to preventing complications. A new nurse practitioner-led clinic was created to provide consistent, personalized follow-up care for identified patients in the critical post-discharge period. This initiative has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from patients, families, physicians and staff, leading to smoother recoveries and fewer hospital re-admissions.
EVERY DOLLAR OF the Maz $10 million commitment has been invested in modernizing equipment, enhancing patient care and funding groundbreaking research — all made possible by the generosity of donors. These investments are already improving outcomes for the over 71,000 outpatients and 1,700 surgery patients who visit the Maz each year, ensuring it remains a world-class leader in heart care. This is what donor generosity looks like in action: innovation that saves lives and shapes the future of health care.
Your support of the University Hospital Foundation is changing lives today and tomorrow, supporting a future in which you and your loved ones live longer, healthier lives.
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