2022 Impact Report

Looking forward:
Cardiac Care

Empowering advancements in cardiac care through dedication, generosity and heart

Every 20 minutes a cardiac issue kills a Canadian.

Cardiac issues are one of the biggest threats to the health and wellbeing of people all over the country and we’re lucky in Alberta to have access to world class care right here in Calgary in partnership with the Libin Cardiovascular Institute. But with an opportunity to advance specific heart programs to be leaders, a need for critical updates and the opportunity to develop breakthrough innovations, even the best must constantly get better.

Did You Know?

A disproportionate challenge for women.

More women die every year from cardiovascular disease than all cancers combined.
Not only do women suffer from cardiovascular disease more than men – they also experience the disease, treatment and care path in unique ways that can stand in between them and the breakthroughs they need and deserve. Like far too many issues in health care, women’s health has been underfunded and by extension, not fully understood.

Our Vision

Making cardiovascular health and care a priority

A challenge of this scale requires an incredible demonstration of dedication, innovation and hard work. Partnering closely with Alberta Health Services, primary care providers and the Libin Cardiovascular Institute, we have made cardiovascular health a top priority and are already seeing breakthroughs that are transforming the lives of Albertans requiring cardiac care today.

Enhanced diagnostics and intervention: an opportunity to lead the country in structural heart conditions

Cardiac catheterization labs – or cath labs, for short – are critical in testing, diagnosing and treating cardiovascular diseases.

Calgary’s Foothills Medical Centre has six labs that serve Southern Alberta and parts of Saskatchewan and British Columbia, but they have long waiting lists of patients seeking a breakthrough in early diagnostics and intervention for heart disease.

With an infusion of funding, we’ll be able to help enhance and evolve the cath labs to ensure that more Southern Albertans have access to a critical intervention against the progression of heart disease. Additionally, new technology will allow information from the cath labs to easily follow patients through their health care journey and empower breakthroughs every step of the way.

Empowering tomorrow’s big breakthrough today

Treatment and care are paramount to patients today – but better understanding cardiovascular disease and how to better treat it will transform the future.

Working with the Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Calgary Health Foundation is working with donors to fund initiatives that will bridge research and care, address the individual needs of cardiac patients and improve patient outcomes by reducing post-surgical healing times, finding new ways to treat advanced heart failure, and working to address the psychological and social impact of a cardiac event.

A woman having her blood pressure checked at a doctor's office while both are smiling

Paving the way for care of common conditions

Not only is cardiovascular disease extremely common – it also results in high rates of hospital readmissions if patients aren’t empowered with a care path to managing their health upon going home.

An example of this is happening in aortic valve failure. Located at South Health Campus, the Calgary Aortic Program aims to provide a space for the management and surveillance of patients requiring long-term follow-up for aortic disease. The program has brought together a multidisciplinary team of specialists across the city and the globe to empower patients to break through the long term challenges of managing a complex disease.