About Hearts For Healthcare
Hearts for Healthcare is a charitable non-profit organization founded in 2009 in response to growing community healthcare needs. Led by a group of dedicated volunteers, our goal is to enrich and enhance healthcare services in the Cold Lake area.
Our Mission: Leading the community to achieve best in class healthcare through informed dialogue, inspired volunteerism, and innovative thinking.
Our Vision: Leading Community Health Excellence
What We Do
At the core of our organization is a purpose which directly affects your day-to-day life and the life of your family, neighbours, colleagues and friends. Hearts For Healthcare supports the healthcare needs of all our community members in the following ways:
Physician Attraction & Retention
- Physician Incentive Program
- Support for temporary (locum) physicians
- Professional development
Learn about the work we’ve done to attract physicians and specialists to the Cold Lake area.
Facility Enhancements
- Medical equipment purchases
- Upgrades to medical facilities
Learn about recent equipment purchases.
Community Advocacy
- Listen to the needs of Cold Lake residents and health care workers
- Recognize and support local healthcare workers
- Promote awareness of need to fundraise for healthcare
Learn about our Board of Directors & Volunteers.
Are you a physician looking to relocate to Cold Lake? Click here to learn more about our Physician Incentive Program.
Our People
Our dedicated employees and volunteers represent the diverse makeup of our community — healthcare professionals, business leaders and community members — whom all work tirelessly to enhance healthcare in Cold Lake for the benefit of all. Learn about our Board of Directors and consider joining our team.
Jen Cory Lee President
Jen was born and raised in Cold Lake, and has lived, trained and worked throughout Canada and Finland in order to become a Nurse Practitioner. She understands the importance of rural health care, having experience working in our local healthcare centres, as a Registered Nurse in Cold Lake and in Bonnyville as a Nurse Practitioner Hospitalist.
Jen is now employed as a Nurse Practitioner for the Military members of our community. She has chosen to grow her family here with her supportive husband, who now has no choice but to be a Hearts for Healthcare Volunteer. She understands the needs of the community and believes that Hearts for Healthcare provides an opportunity to advance the needs of Rural Healthcare in Cold Lake.
Kate Pereira Vice President
Long time resident of Cold Lake, Kate, is raising her three small children in this beautiful town. Currently employed on the leadership team at a global education non-profit organization,
Kate is passionate about being able to make a difference locally. Hearts for Healthcare is an initiative that has supported so much in this community and she’s excited to be a part of it!
James Breidenbach Treasurer
James Breidenbach was raised in Mishawaka, Indiana and now resides in Cold Lake, AB. He currently is the Production Manager for Imperial Oil’s Cold Lake Operations.
James has lived in Cold Lake since 2021 and has previously lived and worked in Qatar and Russia. He and his family enjoy outdoor activities including skiing, kayaking, and camping.
Rob Brassard Director
Rob Brassard was a founding director with Hearts for Healthcare and was involved with CLR3, the precursor to Hearts for Healthcare, while it was part of the Cold Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce. Rob was the president of the Chamber as well for many years.
Rick Hetherington Director
Rick was born in Cold Lake and has a great passion for the well being of our community. Rick along with his wife Corinne also have two adult daughters a son in law and two granddaughters calling Cold Lake home.
Rick is active in several organizations in the community and joined Hearts for Healthcare as a director in 2022. Healthcare is particularly important to Rick and Corinne as they have been beneficiaries of great, compassionate care in times of great personal need here in Cold Lake.
Eva Urlacher Director
Eva was born and raised in Cold Lake and was also the first recipient of the Annual Women of Influence Volunteer Award (2013). Eva was one of the founding members of CLR3 (the precursor to Hearts for Healthcare), and also currently sits on the Appeal Panel for AISH (Assured Income for Severely Handicapped).
Melanie Geluk Bossence Director
Melanie arrived (for the first time) in Cold Lake in 2011 with just a husband and 2 cats. Fast forward to present day (with a few years intermission in Winnipeg) and her life has expanded to include the husband, one cat and 4 boisterous daughters.
Her admiration for the incredible support and outreach that Hearts for Healthcare provides, as well as her respect for all those that work in the healthcare industry are what made her want to get involved and join the Board.
Lynne Colaris Director
Lynne was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. She moved to Cold Lake over 30 years ago. Lynne and her husband raised three amazing children.
Lynne worked with our local Boston Pizza for 20 years. She decided to retire early from Boston Pizza and take some time to give back to her community.
Jessie Heisler Director
Kari Leiper Executive Director
Kari was born and raised in Cold Lake. She and her husband took over the family roofing business a few years ago and are so happy to be able to call Cold Lake Home and to raise their son Landon here. She loves that she can be a part of an organization that has such a positive impact on the entire community.
Ashley Brown Marketing Coordinator
Coming Soon!
Financial
Reporting
As a volunteer-led charitable organization we are committed to providing complete transparency to our donors and our community as a whole.
Key Highlights
100%
Funded by donations and sponsorships
$1.1
Million invested in healthcare in our community through facility enhancements and equipment purchases
11
Healthcare professionals attracted to our region through our efforts, including 10 physicians and 1 nurse practitioner
How We Are Funded
93%
Major Fundraisers
4%
Major Fundraisers
3%
Major Fundraisers
Where Funds Are Invested
(2017/18 Fiscal Year)
67%
Facility
Enhancements
29%
Physician
Attraction
4%
Community
Advocacy