Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation

Speaking of Health is returning Oct 29th for its latest iteration—virtually, and freshly rebranded!

Supported by The Robbins Foundation Canada and run by The Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation, Speaking of Health is a free lecture series that covers important health topics.

We are proud to announce that the fall 2020 one-hour virtual event will be headlined by celebrated comedian, author and mental health advocate Jessica Holmes. She will be joined by infectious diseases expert Dr. Lynora Saxinger, with the session hosted by Sharlene Rutherford, President and CEO of the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation.

Thursday, October 29th
7 PM - 8:30 PM MST
To register, please visit:
https://www.royalalex.org/royal-alexandra-hospital/speaking-of-health
Event is free but limited to 500 attendees so sign up soon!

Speaking of Health: Managing Our Mental Health in Uncertain Times 

The uncertainty of the pandemic has led to higher instances of stress, anxiety, and
depression in many people. In her fun and engaging feature presentation, "Coping with Humour in Uncertain Times,” comedian and Bell Let’s Talk ambassador Jessica Holmes will help people find ways of de-stressing using her trademark comedy.

Holmes will explore how our mental health is affected by the current isolating climate and present relatable coping strategies. Through sharing her own inspirational experience of going through depression and coming out stronger and healthier, Holmes validates what participants may be feeling and offers hope with small, easy steps to build resilience.

See here for some of Jessica’s work:

“We’re so glad to be able to put this event together and have stars like Jessica Holmes and Dr. Saxinger joining us,” said Sharlene Rutherford, President and CEO of the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation. “Jessica is such a stellar comedian, and brings a realness that will really resonate with our audience.”

Dr. Saxinger is an Infectious Diseases specialist and co-chair of Alberta Health Services' COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Group. As a regular expert on news broadcasts, her work has focused on antimicrobial stewardship and resistance and improving surveillance. Dr. Saxinger will speak to the latest COVID updates, discuss significant COVID-related developments, and share how Canada is handling the pandemic compared to other countries. She will also touch on how Canadians can prepare to keep themselves and their families safe as we enter the season of giving.  

“Dr. Saxinger is a brilliant scientific mind who has a knack for distilling complex situations into simple concepts for the general public to understand and, more importantly, put to use. As numbers continue to surge—and given how central her work is to the pandemic—Dr. Saxinger needs to be heard by as many as possible," said Rutherford.

This is the first time the long-standing, in-person lecture series will be shared in a virtual format.

"Obviously we've had to make some major adjustments due to COVID-19, but thankfully we've found some opportunity areas that we've been turning into positives," said Rutherford, whose segment will further discuss the role philanthropy plays in the pandemic response. "We held our annual Harvest Celebration fundraiser virtually this year and were blown away by the success and engagement. By the grace and generosity of The Robbins Foundation Canada—and by taking Speaking of Health virtual—we're able to bring the thoughts and words of Jessica Holmes and Dr. Lynora Saxinger to a much larger audience than ever before.”

Thank you again to The Robbins Foundation Canada for their generous support, and we hope you can join us on October 29th!