Here’s the deal:

Use the special promotion code ‘heart’ to purchase lower bowl red zone tickets for the February 10th game for the fantastic price of $10 + service charge (regular price is $21 + service charge) and $2 will go to supporting the Heart and Stroke Foundation (HSF).  Furthermore, when you attend the game, purchase 50/50 tickets aplenty, not only for a chance to cash in, but also because proceeds from the 50/50 draw will also be directed to the HSF!

Getting tickets:

• Go to the ticket web-site
• Select number of tickets you’d like to purchase under ‘promotions and special offers’
• Select the $24.25 ($21 + service charge) price level and enter the promotion code ‘heart’
• The price will be revised to $13.25 ($10 + service charge) and you can proceed with your purchase!

Join the Libin Institute, its researchers, staff, trainees and docs, and other Calgary Hitmen fans on February 10, 2012 in the fight against premature death

The Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, one of the premier cardiovascular institutes in the country, is looking for a communications coordinator.  We need someone to share the stories of how our model of integrated research, education and care delivery brings excellence to all three!

Key responsibilities

• Key contact responsible for communications liaison within the Libin Institute and with key partners such as the University of Calgary, the Faculty of Medicine and Alberta Health Services.
• Responsible for the communication activities of the Institute.
• Responsible for the implementation of the Institute communications strategy designed to increase awareness and advance the mission of the Institute internally, within the University of Calgary and other partner organizations.
• Effectively plan, organize and stage a wide variety of events each year, such as: program launches and faculty and staff events – research days, recognition events, seminars, town hall meetings and social events.
• Responsible for the acquisition and compilation of information for the Institute’s annual Report to the Community.
• Responsible for preparation and dissemination of communications with internal stakeholders.
• Provide strategic assessment of events to determine feasibility, value to the Institute, as well as propose and implement appropriate changes/additions/deletions to the annual event schedule.
• Prepare and design regular communication products such as a monthly Institute bulletin and tri-yearly newsletter.
• Create, manage, update, and maintain content for the Libin Institute website and social media related to the Libin Institute.
• Manage calendar of events including the updating and maintenance of event listings on the Institute website.
• Effectively manage expenditure budgets for communication products and activities.
• Provide regular reporting to relevant parties regarding event planning and event outcomes.
• Coordinate writing, editing, proofreading and production of communication materials.
• Work with the Faculty of Medicine, the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services and its affiliates communication departments to assess and produce news releases, media coverage, implement program launches and other projects to promote the Libin Institute.
• Coordinate a recognition program for faculty members, students and staff associated with the Libin Institute, linking in to the Faculty of Medicine and U of C recognition programs where appropriate.
• Provide the Libin Institute expert referrals for media as required through Faculty of Medicine and U of C communications departments.
• Establish and maintain systems and procedures that ensure a smooth interface between Institute functions such as research development, student education, and liaison with partner organizations.
• Maintain a directory of Institute members, fellows, students, and staff.
• Responsible for the coordination, preparation and submission of materials as required for funding applications in support of communications, events and seminars for the Institute.
• Responsible for the compilation and/or distribution of financial and annual reports as required.
• Annual review to be provided by the Director and Executive Director of the Libin Institute with input from the Communications & Media Relations Department.

Interested?  You can apply via the UCalgary career centre – do an advanced search for job opening ID 1822.

To learn more about the Libin Institute, visit http://www.LibinInstitute.org/

NOTE – posting closes January 31, 2012!!

PRESS RELEASE (click image above)

The true patient impact can be very substantial, particularly given the Institute’s wide care delivery catchment area that includes not only all of Southern Alberta, but also Southern Saskatchewan and Eastern British Columbia.  CareLink send automatic transmissions whenever a patient is within three metres of the bedside monitor, and makes automatic transmissions if a potential problem with the patient’s heart rhythm or heart rhythm device is identified.  Without CareLink, each of the many patients now serviced by it would have had to travel to Calgary every three months to be seen by health providers.

Watch a video about this story:

For more information on CareLink and this Canadian milestone, please see the Alberta Health Services / Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta PRESS RELEASE.

♥ More blog stories about the Libin Institute’s leading Cardiac Electrophysiology programs and research.

Dr. Imtiaz Ali, Section Chief of Cardiac Surgery – Ali Memo

Dr. Edward O’Brien, Institute Research Director and Section Chief of Cardiology – O’Brien Memo

Here’s a photo of the team, so you know who to congratulate when you see them in the hall!

Drs. Edward O'Brien, Todd Anderson, Imtiaz Ali and Eldon Smith

Welcome to Calgary folks!

In January 2011, the Libin team won the provincial HSF Spirit Award. For January 2012, join us in making a difference while retaining the prestigious Spirit Cup!

The mission of the HSF is the elimination heart disease and stroke and reducing their impact through:

• the advancement of research and its application.
• the promotion of healthy living.
• advocacy.

In support of this noble mission, the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta is participating in the Foundation’s Death Defying Challenge, and we invite all of our Members, Staff and trainees to join the Institute’s team!

What is the Death Defying Challenge?

A fresh manifestation of what was previously known as Ski-for-heart, the Death Defying Challenge is about making a commitment to your own health, engaging your family in lifestyle choices that lead to longer, fuller lives, and raising much-needed funds to support life-giving research and vital health education programs. Participating in the challenge means you will commit to achieving at least 10 individual hours of physical activity from January 1 to 29, 2012. Physical activity can be a life-saver literally; accumulating 2.5 hours of physical activity per week can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.  Participants will also be able to make an impact on others by securing donations for the HSF.  The challenge will culminate in a (optional) victory weekend at Lake Louise!

Join or sponsor the Libin Death Defying Challenge Team!

Learn more about the Death Defying Challenge, including donations at work, fund raising and incentives (including reduced victory weekend rates at Chateau Lake Louise if a fund raising threshold is achieved).

Read about the Libin Team winning the 2011 Spirit Award (top-left of newsletter page 8).

If you have questions about the Libin DDF team, or about the Challenge itself, please e-mail libin@ucalgary.ca – every effort counts, and we want to demonstrate our spirit by recruiting as many participants as possible!

From the news release:

“Salt reduction is one of the most cost-effective public health measures available,” said Dr. Norm Campbell, professor of medicine at the University of Calgary (Canada) and chair of a PAHO-convened expert group on salt and health. “If other countries join these efforts, we can save tens of thousands of lives over the next 10 years.”

Researchers in Canada have estimated that reducing sodium intake by 10 percent each year in 18 Latin American countries could prevent 593,000 cardiovascular events and save some 54,000 lives. Cost-effectiveness studies have shown that reducing salt consumption at the population level can cut the prevalence of related chronic diseases at a cost of between 4 and 32 US cents per person per year.

Full news release.

PAHO/WHO Regional Expert Group on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention through Dietary Salt Reduction policy statement.

You can read other stories featuring Dr. Norm Campbell here.

Watch a video about this story:

You may also want to read the Alberta Health Services News Release on some of the fantastic recent advances in cardiac electrophysiology care delivery in Calgary.

The Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta’s Cardiac Electrophysiology team has been a leader in the field for thirty years, but they have not rested on their laurels.  Building on pillars of the field such as Emeritus Professor D. George Wyse, Professor L. Brent Mitchell, Professor Robert Sheldon, Professor Henry J. Duff, and Professor Anne Gillis, the team has expanded and worked hard on numerous threads of research, while training new scientists and clinicians along the way and providing leading edge treatment to Canadians.  In addition to some of the leading clinical achievements mentioned above, recently we also learned of Professor Derek Exner‘s international clinical trial studying sudden cardiac death, and on the basic research front Professor S.R. Wayne Chen published a ground breaking study on new understandings of the mechanisms of certain arrhythmias.  Read the Institute’s latest newsletter to learn more the Cardiac Energy in Calgary!

Click to view slideshow.

The Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta was proud to be a Gold-Plus Sponsor of the 2011 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Vancouver.  We look forward to joining all of our partners in research, education and care delivery in 2012 in Toronto!

For more information about the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, visit our web-site or see the latest edition of our newsletter, Libin Life.

Dr. Vikas Kuriachan (left) with Glenn Dmetrichuk, President, Rotary Club of Calgary Millenium

You can read about several of the leading edge Cardiac Electrophysiology procedures that are now being conducted at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Albera in the 2011 Issue II of Libin Life (click on the image below).

Libin Life 2011 Issue 2

If you are a Member of the Libin Institute and are interested in sharing your research at a meeting of one of Calgary’s Rotary Clubs, send an e-mail to libin@ucalgary.ca.

The first annual general meeting of the Canadian Heart Failure Society will take place Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 5:30 p.m. during the 2011 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress (CCC) in Vancouver (immediately following the CCS Heart Failure Guidelines Workshop).

The Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta proud to be a Gold-Plus sponsor of the 2011 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress!