The Sandra Schmirler Foundation has reached a major milestone by distributing $7.2 million in grants since 2016, a surge the group traces to a fundraising telethon held in Grande Prairie, Alberta. The foundation’s grants help hospitals across Canada buy life‑saving equipment for babies born prematurely or who are critically ill.
The charity has a deep connection to the Grande Prairie community, citing the 2016 Scotties Tournament of Hearts telethon in Grande Prairie as a pivotal moment for recent fundraising growth. Since then, the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation has received a total of $80,000 from the Sandra Schmirler Foundation to support newborn care.
Local reports say those grants will go toward specialized equipment for the neonatal intensive care unit. The My Grande Prairie Now story and the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation announcement state the funds are intended for NICU equipment, though they do not list specific items purchased with SSF grants in Grande Prairie.
The foundation was created in honour of Sandra Schmirler, the three‑time world curling champion and Olympic gold medallist who died in 2000. As the organization moves toward its 25th anniversary in 2025, it has donated more than $10 million in total to 119 hospitals across Canada.
