A major fundraising campaign aimed at transforming cardiac care in southern Alberta was being officially celebrated on Thursday. The Bringing Hearts Home campaign has surpassed its $30-million goal—money that will help bring more advanced heart care to Lethbridge. It was launched to create a southern Alberta cardiac centre of excellence at Chinook Regional Hospital. The vision includes a new cardiac catheterization lab, advanced CT and MRI scanners, and electrophysiology and echocardiography labs, along with more specialized critical care beds. “It’s humbling,” said Crystal Elliott, Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation CEO. “This has truly been a team effort of people coming together—our board, the cardiac advisory cabinet, our volunteers, our prospect working group.” The foundation says more than 1,300 southern Albertans travel to Calgary each year for regular cardiac treatment. The campaign says the need is particularly important in southern Alberta, where the risk of dying from a cardiac issue is 26.6 per cent higher than elsewhere in the province. Funding will also support cardiac upgrades at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital.
