Health Innovation Roundup
Sept. 2, 2026

Headlines

• Researchers with the University of Alberta's Office of Global Surgery are using data, technology, and health system planning to improve access to surgical care in settings ranging from rural Alberta to sub-Saharan Africa. Projects include a geomodelling study of Alberta's rural surgical workforce, an assessment of pediatric liver transplant capacity in Kenya, mobile trauma registries in Uganda, and a study examining AI tools for caregiver education.
• The Cross Cancer Institute is using theranostics — a nuclear medicine approach that pairs diagnostic imaging with targeted therapy — to treat advanced prostate cancer. Nuclear medicine physician Stella Koumna said the technique uses radionuclides injected into the patient's bloodstream to identify and destroy cancer cells. Ron Ohlmann, who has Stage 4 prostate cancer, compared the results of his treatment at the Cross to science fiction. "Eight and a half years into it, I am convinced I wouldn't be here without all these treatments," he told Postmedia.
• Amber Simpson, a Canada CIFAR AI Chair and fellow at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute, explored how machine learning is reshaping medical imaging, cancer detection, and drug development on Amii's Approximately Correct podcast. Simpson's work uses radiomics — AI-extracted data hidden in standard medical scans — to detect aggressive cancers in organs such as the liver and pancreas earlier, enabling targeted treatment in earlier stages.
• The University of Alberta's Western Hand and Upper Limb Facility at the Sturgeon Community Hospital is driving a number of surgical trials in upper extremity surgery, contributing to advances in orthopedic care. Among the trials that WULF is leading is PARTE, a national randomized controlled trial comparing two variations of partial wrist fusion for patients with arthritis. The multi-centre study is funded by a $385,000 grant from Arthritis Society Canada.
• Lemonade Stand Day, Simply Supper's annual fundraiser for the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation, held its 13th annual edition with 725 stands across Edmonton on Aug. 30. This year's event raised money for NICView cameras for neonatal intensive care units across northern Alberta. The total is expected to be announced later in September; last year's event raised more than $533,000.
• The University of Alberta's Sofia Ahmed, a professor in the division of nephrology, was elected a 2026 Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences — one of the highest distinctions in Canada's health sciences community. Ahmed's research examines how sex and gender affect cardiovascular and kidney health, and she is recognized for mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and promoting equitable patient care, says an announcement from the university's department of medicine.
• Robyn Henwood, formerly of Roche Canada, has joined Integrated Strategic Partners as one of four senior appointments at the government relations and strategic communications firm. Henwood once held senior roles with the Government of Alberta and the UCP caucus; before that, she led recruitment efforts for stem-cell donors in the Prairies and NWT for Canadian Blood Services.
• Leading Edge Physiotherapy's Life Shouldn't Hurt podcast featured 15-year-old Haiden Currie, a multi-sport athlete born with albinism and who is legally blind. Currie and her mother discussed adaptive equipment, team voice tracking, and the value of early sports advocacy for visually impaired youth.

Social innovation

• DiveThru has launched an expanded Reduced Rate Program offering virtual therapy at $100 per 50-minute session with mental health professionals — about 57% less than standard rates. Services can be submitted to extended health benefits, with direct billing available through many insurers, and appointments are available within one week. "We don't think people should have to choose between affordability, timely access, and qualified care," founder Sophie Gray said in a release. "And while we recognize there is no single solution that will make therapy accessible to everyone, the Reduced Rate Program is our attempt to bring all three together and create another option for Canadians seeking care."
• An Edmonton addiction researcher is calling for routine cognitive screening and "intensive housing" for people experiencing chronic homelessness, arguing that Canada's homelessness crisis is in large part a hidden cognition crisis. Monty Ghosh, a researcher for both the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary, wrote in the Canadian Medical Association Journal that half the people experiencing chronic homelessness have suffered a traumatic brain injury, and governments need to build long-term, medically supported residential care — similar to nursing homes — for those whose cognitive impairment prevents them from managing independent life.
• Andrew Karesa of blueBell Village hosted Swiss athlete and filmmaker Hassan Fadli on The Dementia Collective podcast to discuss his mission to raise awareness of dementia by completing five Ironman triathlons in a year, inspired by his father's request after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
• University of Alberta literacy expert George Georgiou has completed the largest reading intervention in Canadian history, delivering a structured program to 1,000 struggling Grade 2 readers across five provinces. Results showed about 80% of participants improved at a rate equivalent to a year and a half beyond normal maturation after just five months, with about half requiring no further intervention.

More health news

• The St. Albert-Sturgeon Chapter of Friends of Medicare organized a protest against Alberta's Bill 11, which allows doctors to work in both public and private healthcare simultaneously. The group argues the legislation violates the Canada Health Act. Members demonstrated outside of Conservative MP Michael Cooper's office in St. Albert to call for federal intervention; the Liberal government's health minister has written to Alberta expressing concern about the bill's compatibility with the act. Meanwhile, the Alberta government says nearly 400 specialist physicians have expressed interest in joining the dual practice system, with legislation taking effect Sept. 2 and the first dual practice surgeries expected this fall.
• The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees says some of its 21,000 continuing care members are close to strike action. AUPE president Sandra Azocar said 157 member groups remain in bargaining with care providers — in some cases for years — with about 15% of negotiations resolved. One group bargaining with AgeCare could hold a strike vote as early as November. "We are ready to take this fight to the street if necessary," Azocar said, adding that wages and working conditions are the key issues.
• Edmonton organizations marked International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31 by highlighting the number of drug poisonings occurring in private homes. Patrick Black of Boyle Street Community Services said stigma can prevent people from calling 911 or having naloxone available. Edmonton recorded 770 drug-poisoning deaths in 2025, with more than half of unintentional opioid deaths occurring in private residences. Advocates called for greater public education, less stigma, and improved access to treatment.
• Recovery Alberta says Edmonton's Henwood Treatment Centre will reopen after repairs to flood damage are completed, CBC News reported. The centre has been closed since flooding in June forced it to suspend services. Recovery Alberta estimates remediation, renovations, and improvements will take one to two years and cost about $6 million. The agency said it contacted 104 patients awaiting admission to arrange alternative treatment, while some Henwood staff received layoff notices following the closure.
• In a public hearing on Aug. 25, Coun. Michael Janz wondered aloud whether Edmonton should cease approving new social services until other municipalities in the region start "pulling their weight." He cited a March 2026 memo that indicated there are no emergency shelter beds open permanently to the general public in the municipalities surrounding Edmonton. "It just feels like Edmonton is being used as the blood bag for the rest of our region and the rest of our province," Janz said before voting on a rezoning application to allow the Hope Mission to turn its support facility in the Girard industrial area into a year-round emergency shelter. Council approved the rezoning.
• A city survey found that 72% of respondents believe Edmonton doesn't have enough public washrooms, while 53% rarely use existing facilities because of cleanliness and safety concerns. The city manages 160 public washrooms. Most are downtown or near the river valley, while some neighbourhoods have few or none.
• Edmonton Fire Rescue Services has officially unveiled its drone program with 24/7 aerial capability across all six city districts. The drones, operated by certified emergency responders, use thermal imaging to map fire lines, locate missing persons in the river valley, and guide water rescues in real time. The city will release a five-part educational video series to provide a behind-the-scenes look at advanced technology supports for emergency services.

Happenings

Here are some events coming up soon:

• Sept. 3: Edmonton Community Foundation's Community Grant Sessions: Coffee, Conversations & Funding Ideas starting at 10am at Edmonton Community Foundation
• Sept. 4: Bikes & Beverages x Grow Together YEG starting at 5pm at The Buckingham Pub
• Sept. 5: Rooted Words: A Haiku & Forest Therapy Experience starting at 10:30am at Carvel Hall
• Sept. 8: By Strength, We Are Still Here: Conversations on Truth, Reconciliation, and Responsibility starting at 12pm online
• Sept. 9: Bioeconomy Guild Night starting at 5pm at MKT Fresh Food | Beer Market

And here are more to keep in mind:

• Sept. 18: Navigating the Healthcare System: A Doctor's Guide to Self-Advocacy online
• Sept. 21-25: Life Sciences Week
• Sept. 24: Sustain Labs 2026 - Beyond the Bench at Alberta School of Business

Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.