Building Passionate Community Support for the Royal Alexandra Hospital

Season’s Greetings

Happy Holidays from the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation! Click on the links below to hear holiday greetings from members of our Board of Directors. Wishing you and yours a wonderful festive season.

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Foundation News

Patient Story

Did You Know?

The Royal Alexandra Hospital services a geographic area that amounts to one third of Canada's total land mass.

The Royal Alexandra Hospital cares for 450,000 patients annually.

More than 28,000 surgeries are performed annually at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.

The Royal Alexandra Hospital’s Cardiac Services program is nationally recognized for its innovative work in the non-invasive treatment of heart disease.

The Royal Alexandra Hospital’s Aboriginal Diabetes Wellness Program was established in 1994 and integrates western medical knowledge with Aboriginal spirituality, medicines and traditional teachings.

In the 1980s, the Royal Alexandra Hospital became the first centre in North America to perform diagnostic cardiac angiograms as a day-patient procedure. This has since been established as standard practice around the world.

The Foundation’s eldest volunteer to date is a spry 83-year old; our youngest, a little girl who is eight.

The Royal Alexandra Hospital has provided patients, visitors, staff and volunteers with a smoke free site since 2005.

The Royal Alexandra Hospital has a Visual Arts Committee which offers artists an opportunity to exhibit their works throughout the hospital campus.

The hospital’s Gift Shop is staffed by volunteers from the Royal Alexandra Hospital Women’s Auxiliary, which was founded in 1899.

If language is an obstacle to clear communication, the Royal Alexandra Hospital provides interpreters for patients and their families at no cost.

The Royal Alexandra Hospital is the largest provider of cardiology services in Edmonton. Two-thirds of minimally invasive cardiac care services for Central and Northern Alberta, such as the radial approach to complex angioplasty and stenting, are performed at the Royal Alex.

Canada's first ever, stand-alone orthopedic centre is now under construction on the Royal Alexandra Hospital campus. The $60-million Orthopedic Surgery Centre is expected to be complete in 2010 and will accommodate 4,500 joint surgeries a year.

The C.K. Hui Heart Centre, opening in 2009 at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, will provide more efficient and streamlined care to the 50,000 heart patients we see each year.

The Royal Alexandra Hospital was the first location in Western Canada to begin using the da Vinci S robotic surgery system for laparoscopic radical prostatectomies - a procedure that removes the prostate gland and some surrounding tissue - to treat prostate cancer.

Darshan Lall

"I'm happiest when I'm giving to others."

This is how Darshan Lall describes his motives for being a dedicated supporter of the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation for more than 10 years. "I was a patient at the Royal Alex and I can tell you the care I received was excellent," says Darshan. After I was a patient, it was even more important for me to give something."

And Darshan has certainly given - not just to the Foundation, but to a variety of charities. "Canada has given me so much, it is important to me that I give back."

Darshan Lall Darshan's story is a wonderful rags to riches tale. He arrived in Canada from India in the 1960s with barely a penny in his pocket. An electrical engineer by trade, Darshan came to Canada eager to start his life over again. He found work within the construction trade and as soon as he was able, made a few wise investments. As he rebuilt his fortunes, Darshan faithfully sent money back home to help family members in India. Years later, the investments paid off, and today he is a successful property owner and manager. His success inspired him to start helping others.

Darshan continues to give to the Foundation through our Lifesaver program, a monthly donor program that allows people to make monthly contributions and choose the area which they want their money allocated. For Darshan, that includes the Priority Needs of the Royal Alexandra Hospital and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

At 86 years of age, Darshan carries himself like a man many years younger. He is a regular visitor to the Foundation offices, chatting with staff and talking about his tennis game. He is proud to talk about his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, many of whom work in healthcare. They were inspired by Darshan's beliefs in helping others.

"We are so fortunate to have good healthcare in this country, and I consider it a privilege to help build upon it," says Darshan with passion in his voice. "I have much to be thankful for and, each day, I have an opportunity to give back. This is what makes me feel good. It's what makes me happy."

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