Upcoming Events & Initiatives
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Our Story
The Airdrie Health Foundation was established after a five-year-old boy named Lane Bates became suddenly and
seriously ill during the night in 2009. Because Airdrie had no 24-hour emergency medical care, it was impossible
for Lane's parents to access the necessary medical help in time to save their son.
A year after Lane's passing, the Bates family was again in need of medical care in the middle of the night
for one of their daughters. This time they needed to travel at night to Didsbury Hospital in a massive snow storm.
This is when they knew something needed to change!
Lane's mother, Michelle Bates, co-founded the Airdrie Health Foundation to prevent other families
from experiencing similar tragedies. Beginning as a grassroots organization in 2010,
the Airdrie Health Foundation was established as a registered charity in 2013.
After seven years of work acting as a strong community voice, the Airdrie Health Foundation successfully gained
24-hour Urgent Care for Airdrie in 2017.
Our Mandate
The Airdrie Health Foundation is a charitable foundation created to raise funds for the Airdrie Community Health Centre, Urgent Care, Mental Health
and other high priority health care needs.
Our mandate is to raise funds for health and wellness priorities, such as services, equipment and education for Airdrie and the surrounding community.
"Lane was a typical five-year-old boy who loved sports, hunting, playing cars, playing with his army men, and being a Firefighter. Lane always watched out for others and wanted to help take care of everyone. After watching only minutes of the movie Ladder 49, he knew he wanted to be a fireman so he 'could save everyone.' He wore his firefighter’s outfit for three and a half years.
Lane would always doctor us when we were not well. He would cuddle us to make us feel better. He was always in character. Lane’s imagination was unbelievable. He was a firefighter, a hunter, a sheriff, a worker, a helper, and always taking care of something or someone.
It was very fitting when Lane passed, that the Airdrie Fire Department made Lane an
Airdrie Emergency Services Honorary Firefighter.
The Airdrie Health Foundation logo is of Lane's hand. And a heart in it is the most fitting thing possible. I have not met anyone with a bigger heart than Lane! He always rubbed our face and held us, so his hand just makes me think of him taking care of all of us.”
Michelle, mother of Lane Bates
(July 11, 2004 - October 26, 2009)
Our Values
COMMUNITY
We contribute to the health care of local people in a meaningful way.
We respond to the needs of community and health professionals
and support their work.
PARTNERSHIPS
We establish and maintain partnerships through open communication
and effective collaboration.
EDUCATION
We support health and wellness education.
STEWARDSHIP
We are transparent and accountable.
We steward all gifts made to the foundation, with 100% of funds
going towards their donor designation.
