HISTORY

During its early history, the Alberta Children's Hospital primarily served polio and tuberculosis patients, who lived in the facility full-time. Today, the majority of the patients seen at the facility are treated on an outpatient basis, not staying in the facility overnight, but visiting their health care teams for on-going care through the Diagnosis, Assessment, and Treatment Clinics. This clinic-based program has been used as a worldwide model for outpatient care.

Junior Red Cross Hospital

In 1922, Alberta Children’s Hospital was known as the Junior Red Cross Hospital. It was located in Calgary, near the former site of the Alberta Children's Hospital on 1820 Richmond Road SW. An increased demand for children’s healthcare resulted in the hospital’s relocation to a second facility, also only blocks away from the Richmond Road location. In its second location, it was renamed the Junior Red Cross Crippled Children’s Hospital.

Alberta Crippled Children’s Hospital

The site at 1820 Richmond Road SW, Calgary, Alberta was adopted in 1952 when provincial and federal grants resulted in the construction of two wings. In 1957, the Red Cross discontinued its sponsorship of the facility and the hospital was then registered under the Province of Alberta Societies Act as a non-profit organization and renamed the Alberta Crippled Children’s Hospital. By 1960, the hospital took the name it holds today – the Alberta Children's Hospital and moved under the mandate of the provincial government.

Present Alberta Children's Hospital

The Alberta Children’s Hospital opened to the public on September 27, 2006. The 750,000 square foot building located on the University of Calgary’s West Campus was built with the needs of patients and their families in mind. Physicians, nurses, parents, youth, children and many others contributed their expertise to the design and planning of the hospital.

As well as talking to the community, children and youth joined in the planning efforts. A volunteer committee known as the Child and Youth Advisory Council (CAYAC), consisted of 20 young advisors ranging in age from eight to 18. They provided input to the planners on a wide range of issues. Feedback on the hospital’s design was collected by encouraging children and youth to share their creative talents. Children were asked to draw and colour their vision on paper for the Alberta Children's Hospital.

The end result is a state-of-the-art facility that helps patients and their families feel at home while they visit. Families are able to enjoy features such as

• a covered heated walkway so they can leave their coats in the car
• sleeping facilities in each of the inpatient rooms
• a healthy and diverse menu in the cafeteria and
• gardens surrounding the building to allow time for relaxation.

The hospital offers excellence in patient care, research and teaching combined with the necessities to ensure families are comfortable during their child’s stay or visit.