Hospitals of Regina Foundation invests $4 million to support pediatric research

The Hospitals of Regina Foundation has invested $4 million to support pediatric research at the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine. (Sierra D'Souza Butts/CTV News)

The Hospitals of Regina Foundation has invested $4 million to support pediatric research at the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) College of Medicine.

The new clinical research program titled Hospitals of Regina Foundation Pediatric Chair in the Origins of Health and Disease is set to study the earliest origins of health and disease for children in the province.

The research also aims to lessen demand on health care services, by reducing diseases, and increasing the quality of life for patients and their families in the long term.

“By working with the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine on this new critical initiative, we aim to deepen our understanding of how chronic diseases begin early in life, help prevent chronic conditions, and strengthen periodic care in Saskatchewan and indeed across the country,” Dino Sophocleous, president and CEO of the Hospitals of Regina Foundation, said during the announcement.

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Thursday’s announcement marks the largest donation by the foundation for a research project, Sophocleous added.

As part of the project, a clinical researcher will be recruited to build and lead a high-impact research program at USask.

The researcher will serve as a faculty member for USask’s College of Medicine and as a practicing pediatrician for the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).

Last year, there were 16,000 pediatric visits to hospitals and health care facilities in Regina. Sophocleous said the investment aims to support the need for pediatric healthcare in the region and across the province.

“We deliver, about between 4,000 to 4,500 babies every year in Regina. We are very much a hub for pediatric care in southern Saskatchewan so pediatrics is naturally our top priority,” he noted.

“… Providing care to children takes the lion’s share of pretty much everything we do every year, but preventing disease and children and therefore later on in adults … is something that we are very interested in and that’s why we chose this particular project.”

The Government of Saskatchewan said it plans to support institutions needs for long-term research, adding that the investment by Hospitals of Regina Foundation helps all organizations work collaboratively.

“There’s some really interesting discussions going on between the university and the government on how we continue to support research that’s already happening at the University of Saskatchewan, and then also moving forward in terms of finding more opportunities,” said Minister of Health Jeremy Cockrill.

“Today is really about the foundation’s contribution, but it all fits together. [Dr. Sarah Forgie] talked about that virtuous circle … We as a government continue to work with the SHA on making more investments into pediatric care that’s attracting more pediatric specialists to our province.”

Cockrill added recruitment and retaining pediatricians to the province will also be part of the government’s role to help strengthen the research project.

Recruitment for the Hospitals of Regina Foundation Pediatric Chair in the Origins of Health and Disease will be carried out in the coming months.