Together We Are Giving Every Newborn a Fighting Chance

Supporting
Newborns Need!

With a campaign target of $66M, Calgary Health Foundation donors have graciously stepped forward and we are on our way to build a world-class NICU at the Foothills Medical Centre – because for Southern Alberta only the best will do!

Our Projects

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Foothills Medical Centre Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

The Foothills NICU is 1/3 smaller than similar NICU’s across the country, yet it is the busiest in the country. And while their care outcomes are among the best in the country, the existing space cannot accommodate the innovations and best practices that have become today’s standard of care. The new two floor NICU will house 68 beds and state of the art equipment to ensure the highest level of care for the smallest of patients.

Central Fetal Monitoring

OBIX monitoring allows for time-critical, life-saving decisions and intervention in real-time. Teams can monitor baby’s heart rate, mom’s uterine contractions and vital signs.

Infant Stabilization Room

A new stabilization room will be connected to the labour and delivery unit to allow more space for teams to provide safe and immediate intervention when seconds count.

Peter Lougheed Centre Maternal Care and NICU

The Maternal Care Unit is a reimagined approach to labour and delivery, antepartum and postpartum is centralized to enhance patient experience and ensure staff can deliver excellent care.

The new space accommodates 1,000 more births each year.

South Health Campus Pediatric Emergency Pod

A specialized emergency care space for children opened at South Health Campus. The space has nine beds and child-friendly murals to help make the hospital a more welcoming space for young patients.

Perinatal Mental Health Resources for Rural Moms

In urban centres, access to resources also creates a community of support. However, living in rural Alberta can feel isolating without access to the right information and help. Investments have helped expand program support across Southern Alberta.

Care by Parent Room at South Health Campus

After months with very specialized care providers at the bedside, the thought of going home and independently caring for your neonate can be very intimidating.

These rooms offer a space for parents to care for their newborns in a home-like environment with support only steps away.

Simulation Lab for Advanced Training and Education

Simulation allows care providers to learn new skills and fine-tune delicate procedures in a safe environment. The fragile and complex nature of neonatal care demands very precise treatments and constant innovation.

Changing Preeclampsia Screening Protocols

A pilot research study has now led to new screening protocols for new moms that is allowing for the early detection of risk factors for preeclampsia, a life-threatening condition, that can be prevented with a simple treatment protocol.

Southern Alberta Neonatal Transport Team (SANTS)

In Alberta there is an efficient and effective neonatal care system integrated from Level 3 (most acute) down to Level 1. This ensures that that each baby is placed in the proper level of care most appropriate for their needs at the right time. 

Babies born prematurely or with health complications in smaller rural hospitals often require the very specialized care that only the team of Level 3 NICU care providers at Foothills Medical Centre can give. This is where the SANTS team comes into play. From the first call, the SANTS team provides expertise for the Labour and Delivery team on the ground as they mobilize to respond and stabilize these newborns.

P3 Cohort for Preterm Birth

A partnership investment of $5M with the University of Calgary and Alberta’s Children Hospital, the P3 Cohort study is the largest collaboration of its kind. The study has 46 research focused collaborations working toward these common goals:

  • Predict which women will deliver preterm;
  • Provide opportunities to prevent preterm birth;
  • Improve health outcomes for children who are born preterm and their families;

Shaganappi Community Health Hub

In the Spring of 2019, the expansion of Shaganappi Health Centre allowed Alberta Health Services, Public Health, Calgary Zone to open a fourth Postpartum Community Services program hub on the west side of Calgary.

Donor funding enabled:

  • The purchase of furniture and equipment for this fourth postpartum hub;
  • Nature-inspired graphics in the postpartum spaces creating an inviting and calming space for families; and
  • Free Baby and You classes at four library sites that attract families from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds and diverse communities.

Impact

Care
Family-Centred Care Initiatives
Infrastructure
Expansion and Development for Newborn and Family Resources
Research
Clinical Research and Education to Address Calgary’s Disparity
Investments
Your Dollars at Work
Creating world-class care from preconception to pre- and post-natal care can make a lifetime of difference for the 1 in 8 babies requiring the life-saving care of Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Calgary.

For many families, the birth of a new child is a joyful, exciting release after nine months of wait and worry. But for others, it’s the beginning of a stressful and uncertain struggle. Nationally, 1 in 10 infants are born prematurely, but in Calgary that number rises to 1 in 8 – meaning that on average over 10% of births require the lifesaving support of the city’s Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

With the generous support of donors like you, we’re dedicated to expanding the Foothills Medical Centre NICU as they strive to give newborns what they need and a fighting chance.

 

Thank you Karin Histon and Kara Rohl for providing photography for Newborns Need.

Thank you for being a part of our community

We’ve Raised $66M

Through the Newborns Need Campaign, we have raised $66 million to transform newborn care for thousands of families from Calgary and across Southern Alberta. On behalf of the many thousands of newborns and their families whose lives will be touched by this campaign, we thank you for partnering with us to deliver what newborns need and achieving our vision of enabling holistic investments in infrastructure, technology and preventative research that can give every newborn a fighting chance.

If you’d like to keep supporting this campaign, you can still make a donation here.

Impact

Thankful for the NICU

Rena Brito, like most parents, never thought she’d need the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for her children.

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Impact

We made a wish. And two came true

Caylee and Kris Dahl are the proud parents of two healthy ten-year-old boys, Jackson and Carson. But their story begins when Caylee was just 27 years old and experienced a rare form of cancer.

Read More

Impact

We could thank them for a lifetime

Colten and Chelsea Bodie, from Lethbridge County, spent 94 days in the Foothills Medical Centre NICU with their son, Blair who was born at 27 weeks, 4 days weighing 1,234 grams.

Read More

Here’s To You

Donor Wall

You’ve shown us your support – it’s our turn to show our gratitude. We’ve compiled a digital donor wall to celebrate the generosity of those who have come together to help us give every newborn a fighting chance.

View The Donor Wall

Newborns Need Volunteer Cabinet

Meet Our
Co-Chairs

Our dedicated Co-Chairs represent three generations of women who have stepped forward to challenge the status quo by leading this important initiative that will change the future for families in our province!

Kate Fischer
Cabinet Co-Chair

Stephanie Felesky
Cabinet Co-Chair

Lesley Hutcheson
Cabinet Co-Chair

Transform Health Care With Just a Click

When it comes to making a difference in the health of Albertans, every little bit has the potential to make a big impact – and it’s never been easier.