Lohues family invests $100,000 in Bringing Hearts Home

The Foundation notes those values continue today through the next generation and Coyote Flats Charolais, the family farming operation near Chin, the community that the Lohues family has long called home.

For George Lohues, reaching a point in life where the family is able to make a significant contribution has also brought a different perspective on health and what matters most, say Foundation officials.

“When you’re younger, you tend to think you’re invincible. As you get older, you realize life is more vulnerable and that at some point everyone is going to need healthcare,” said George Lohues. “We’ve been fortunate, and it feels good to be at a point where, as a family, we can give something back.”

According to Foundation officials, the decision to support Bringing Hearts Home was reinforced when the family learned more about the current realities facing cardiac patients in southern Alberta.

“When we saw the campaign and understood what people were going through to access cardiac care, it really affected us,” said Lohues. “Cardiac patients, especially our seniors, desperately want to receive treatment close to home, family, and friends who can support them. We are very pleased to be able to help make that a reality.”

For the Lohues family, officials say the gift is ultimately about ensuring the region that gave their parents an opportunity to build a new life continues to be a place where families can build their own futures with access to strong healthcare.

“The Lohues family has built something remarkable from the opportunities their parents found in southern Alberta, and today they are choosing to share that success with others,” said Crystal Elliott, Chief Executive Officer of the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation. “Their generosity speaks to the values of family, hard work and giving back that have shaped this region for generations. We are incredibly grateful for their investment in the health of southern Alberta.”

“Bringing Hearts Home has always been about ensuring southern Albertans can access more of the advanced cardiac care they need in the region they call home,” said Dr. Sayeh Zielke, Chair of the Bringing Hearts Home Campaign. “The generosity of the Lohues family brings us closer to that vision and demonstrates what is possible when families come together to invest in the health of their neighbours and future generations.”

Foundation officials say the Bringing Hearts Home campaign has surpassed its original $30 million fundraising goal through the generosity of more than 1,200 donors. The Foundation, however, continues to welcome philanthropic support as planning advances and opportunities remain to further strengthen cardiac and critical care in southern Alberta.

As planning continues for the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and ICU/CCU Expansion at Chinook Regional Hospital, officials say the Lohues family’s contribution adds another chapter to a family story that began with opportunity, hard work and a new home in southern Alberta, and continues through a commitment to giving back.

by LNN Staff

Lohues family invests $100,000 in Bringing Hearts Home

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