Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation

“I have come to know Hospitals as places of change, of hope, of light, of personal remaking.” – Nisha Patel, If I Was to Have a Daughter

On September 18^th, 2021, Harvest Celebration returned for its 11^th year to raise funds the Lois Hole Hospital for Women. And what a stellar presentation it was!

First and foremost, we would like to extend a massive thank you to donors, sponsors, partners, presenters, and artists who contributed to making Harvest Celebration such a huge success. A special thank you to our long-time partner and presenting sponsor, Syncrude for their continued support of the Lois Hole Hospital for Women. It is through the generous support of our donors the Lois Hole Hospital for Women continues to raise the bar of excellence in clinical care and research into women’s health across Canada.

Due to COVID-19, this year’s Harvest Celebration was virtual for a second year in a row, broadcasting on CTV and hosted by the wonderful Carmen Leibel. The program featured a stunning performance from Nisha Patel, former Edmonton poet laureate with her poem If I Was to Have a Daughter, a breathtaking and powerful traditional dance thanking frontline healthcare workers from local indigenous dancers, and a rocking performance from one of Canada’s most famous and beloved bands, Barenaked Ladies!

Heartfelt messages on the urgent need to invest in women’s healthcare came from medical professionals Tracee Pratt, the executive director of the Lois Hole Hospital For Women, who is currently a cancer patient at the Lois Hole hospital herself, from AHS president Verna Yiu, and interim executive director of the Lois Hole Hospital, Gloria Kakowski. We also heard from Syncrude’s V.P of Operations, Andrew Rosser, Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation President and CEO, Sharlene Rutherford, event co-chairs Saranjeev and Bhupinder Lalh and Jerrold and Lisa Diamond, and the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, Salma Lakhani on why they support the Lois Hole Hospital for Women, and why a hospital dedicated specifically to the care of women is so essential for those in Edmonton and Northern Canada.

“Hope is what Lois Hole wanted the hospital to represent. I think Lois would be deeply touched to see the healing and the spirit of optimism, courage and hope the hospital has fostered for women and their families over the past 11 years.” – Salma Lakhni

We laughed, we cried, we sang, all while raising money for women’s healthcare. Thank you to everyone who joined in and supported the 11^th annual Harvest Celebration! We could have not done it without you. You can watch the recorded version on YouTube.

The Harvest 50/50 is still going strong with a pot currently sitting at just under $90 000 - half of which could be yours! The 50/50 closes on October 7th at 11:30pm.