The University of Alberta received a joint $54-million gift Wednesday, which will go towards the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute.
The WCHRI supports research dedicated to improving the health of women and children, including perinatal care. It’s the only facility of its kind in Canada.
The Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation gave $40 million to the WCHRI. The remaining $14.5 million came from the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation.
This is the largest one-time donation ever given to the University of Alberta.
Watch below: The University of Alberta is celebrating its largest donation ever and it’s all for research into women and children’s health. Su-Ling Goh has the details.
“This historic investment not only supports the work of University of Alberta research and improves the health of women and children – mothers and sisters, sons and daughters – it holds the power to change entire family stories,” University of Alberta President David Turpin said.
“The U of A is extremely grateful to the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation and their visionary donors for helping us lead this transformation with our partners, Alberta Health Services.”
READ MORE: University of Alberta receives $2M in federal funding to further research
Tanya Ennis knows first-hand the benefits of the WCHRI. When she was pregnant with her triplets, Ennis enrolled in a clinical trial funded by the research institute, as part of a study at the Lois Hole Hospital for Woman, after a congenital heart condition was discovered in one of her boys.
With a heart the size of a pea, Ennis’s son Liam underwent open-heart surgery as an infant. Now, at six years old, David, Ryan and Liam Ennis are happy, healthy young boys.
Watch below: Tanya and Rob Ennis share their story, which started when they thought they were expecting twins but soon learned they were actually having three babies
The $54-million will be spent as follows:
- Approximately one-third will be allocated to peer-reviewed, research-driven grants
- Another third will be dedicated to research catalysts, including recruiting international-calibre researchers. This part of the budget also leverages other grants with matching funds
- The last third will help the institute serve as an incubator for health research. It subsidizes an expert research support team that includes nurses, coordinators, biostatisticians, data management staff, knowledge translation, patient engagement and qualitative research
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WCHRI was founded in 2006 as a partnership between the University of Alberta and Alberta Health Services, with core funding from the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation.
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