Marilyn and Garth were visiting a relative at Foothills Medical Centre when they passed by a “tiny, bare bones” Health Trust (now Foundation) office. That was 20 years ago. There and then, the couple, now in their 70s, decided to make annual gifts to support excellence in healthcare for Albertans.
“We grew up in a time when our parents and grandparents had to be very self-sufficient,” says Garth. “I still think people need to be self-reliant, but our society is so wealthy. Everyone should have access to the best care possible,” Marilyn adds.
“We’ve been fortunate. We have the resources to contribute, and I just feel that we should give.”
Little did they know that about a decade later, Marilyn would need extensive care. Due to a rare genetic condition, she needed and received a liver transplant. Marilyn says her experience reinforced their decision to contribute to the Calgary Health Foundation. “I was in hospital quite a bit. The doctors and nurses were super. I received a lot of excellent care from the Alberta healthcare system, so that’s also behind our years of giving.”
They give at least once a year and more when they see a need. Marilyn says they recently made a gift to the Newborns Need Campaign to address the urgent need to improve care for critically-ill newborns and infants.
Thank you to Garth and Marilyn, and everybody who supports Calgary Health Foundation with gifts throughout the year. Your contributions are helping to transform healthcare and help make a significant difference for your family, friends, and neighbours. Eighty percent of Albertans depend on our health system each year and you make it possible to ensure it remains one of the best in the world. Your donations are changing people’s lives.
