Get involved!

Calgary physician, Dr. Christine Gibson’s Global Familymed Foundation helps build family medicine capacity where it’s needed most.

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“Wherever you turn, you can find someone who needs you. Even if it is a little thing, do something for which there is no pay but the privilege of doing it. Remember, you don't live in a world all of your own.” ― Albert Schweitzer

Following are descriptions and links to organizations that provide you with the opportunity to apply your medical and other humanitarian skills, and/or to assist with donations in order to bring about change:

Volunteer/donation opportunities in Alberta >>
National & international volunteer/donation opportunities >>

Before volunteering or donating to these groups, please read our disclaimer.

The Youth Run Club’s mission is to encourage physical activity and to empower elementary-age students of all levels of ability to participate and get active.

In addition to recognizing and celebrating the many generous activities, organizations and donation opportunities that the AMA’s physician members support, AMA’s Many Hands™ initiative also encourages physicians to get involved as volunteers. In support of that goal, the AMA partnered with Ever Active Schools in spring 2013 to establish the AMA Youth Run Club as the Many Hands™ flagship project. A school-based running club, the Youth Run Club’s mission is to encourage physical activity and to empower elementary-age students of all levels of ability to participate and get active and weather permitting…to get outside!	As physicians, you’re concerned about the dismal state of overall physical activity levels of Canadian children; according to the recently released ParticipACTION Report Card on the Physical Activity of Children and Youth, Canadian children and youth were assigned a “D minus” grade. Enter the Youth Run Club, with its many, varied opportunities for physicians and medical students to get involved. To support you in your efforts to get kids running at a school near you, the AMA and Ever Active Schools have prepared several convenient and informative resources for your use, such as a how-to PowerPoint, tip sheets and a Coach’s Handbook, to name just a few. If you would like to participate in a school run club – a little (talking or presenting to children about the value of nutrition and exercise) or a lot (running with and/or helping coach a YRC) – the AMA and Ever Active Schools can help get you started. Let us assist with planning, promotion, logistics, run coordination, give-aways for the kids and more.

In addition to recognizing and celebrating the many generous activities, organizations and donation opportunities that the AMA’s physician members support, AMA’s Many Hands™ initiative also encourages physicians to get involved as volunteers.

In support of that goal, the AMA partnered with Ever Active Schools in spring 2013 to establish the AMA Youth Run Club as the Many Hands™ flagship project. A school-based running club, the Youth Run Club’s mission is to encourage physical activity and to empower elementary-age students of all levels of ability to participate and get active and weather permitting…to get outside!

As physicians, you’re concerned about the dismal state of overall physical activity levels of Canadian children; according to the recently released ParticipACTION Report Card on the Physical Activity of Children and Youth, Canadian children and youth were assigned a “D minus” grade. Enter the Youth Run Club, with its many, varied opportunities for physicians and medical students to get involved.

To support you in your efforts to get kids running at a school near you, the AMA and Ever Active Schools have prepared several convenient and informative resources for your use, such as a how-to PowerPoint, tip sheets and a Coach’s Handbook, to name just a few.

If you would like to participate in a school run club – a little (talking or presenting to children about the value of nutrition and exercise) or a lot (running with and/or helping coach a YRC) – the AMA and Ever Active Schools can help get you started. Let us assist with planning, promotion, logistics, run coordination, give-aways for the kids and more.

	AMA Youth Run Club Since 2013, at elementary schools all across Alberta, the AMA and Ever Active Schools have been working with teachers, students, families and some of our own physicians and medical students to develop Youth Run Clubs; clubs that celebrate and encourage physical activity and comradery in the great outdoors (weather permitting).
	Calgary Drop-in and Rehabilitation Centre (DI) DI is "the voice" for the marginalized, disenfranchised and homeless population of Calgary.
	DIL Walk DIL means "heart" in Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu. In this instance, it is also an acronym for "Do It for Life". Walk stands for "Wellness, Access, Linkages and Knowledge". DIL Walk is a primary prevention approach that targets individuals before they have a heart attack by providing access to resources (medical, community, print resources, testing and self-management).
	Dreams Take Flight (Calgary) Dreams Take Flight is a nationally registered Children’s charity in Canada. Each chapter consists of a dedicated group of Air Canada employees, family members and associates, all of whom volunteer to raise money in order to take mentally, physically, emotionally or socially challenged children on a one day, all expenses paid trip to Disneyland.
	Dreams Take Flight (Edmonton) Dreams Take Flight is a national non-profit organization consisting of Air Canada volunteers dedicated to providing the trip-of-a-lifetime to physically, mentally or socially challenged children. The local sponsors and volunteers believe that we can make a major difference in these children's lives by opening a window of possibilities without limitations.
	EFW Radiology turkey drive (completed for 2013) Calgary radiologist Dr. Houman Mahallati challenges the medical community to help feed Calgarians in need through the Calgary Food Bank Drive.
	Food Banks Alberta Food Banks Alberta represents and supports food banks through leadership, direction and sharing information and resources
	Kindness in Action The Kindness in Action Service Society of Alberta's work is motivated by a belief in the dignity of all people and their right to basic human needs.
	L'Arche Calgary The mission of L'Arche Clagary is to create homes and communities where people with developmental disabilities (core members) and our youth leaders who share life with them (Assistants) find a place of belonging and can reveal their gifts to others.
	Medicine Cup Charity Tournament Medicine Cup Charity tournament is a 4 on 4 outdoor hockey tournament put on annually by the University of Alberta medical students to raise money for the Stollery Children’s Foundation.
	MS Bike: Gear up to end MS This pledge-based fundraising event provides Canadians with the opportunity to ride through scenic and often spectacular parts of the country while raising money to help end MS. Annually, over 10,000 cyclists participate in one - or two-day tours taking place between June and September.
	PARAdime project For the past four years, the Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta (PARA) has collected used backpacks and bags filled with essentials for people in need at shelters throughout the province.
	Ride to Conquer Cancer The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer is a two-day cycling event through the Rockies. The Ride supports patients and families at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton and 15 cancer centres throughout Alberta.
	Rotary House Rotary House in Grande Prairie provides compassionate support for single men, women and families suffering from long-term, severe mental health and addictions.
	Safe Harbour Society This group serves Central Alberta communities, providing detox and overnight shelter for people who are high or intoxicated, transitional housing units and homeless shelter.
	University of Calgary Student-Run Clinic The University of Calgary Student Run Clinic started in 2011 out of the medical clinics at the Calgary Drop-In Centre on Tuesday evenings, offering medical services to underserved populations and unique teaching experiences to medical students.
	Youth Empowerment & Support Services (YESS) Youth Empowerment & Support Services (YESS) is an Edmonton not-for-profit organization unconditionally devoted to helping youth facing difficult realities.

	A Better World A Better World is an international development organization based in central Alberta and supported and managed by volunteers dedicated to improving lives in developing countries.
	Calgary Global Health Initiative (Zamboanga Project) The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary has supported the development of a medical school, including a Masters Program in Public Health and other areas of postgraduate training, and medical faculty capacity building.
	Canadian Relief for Syria Canadian Relief For Syria is a non-profit organization which aims to raise relief funds to alleviate the suffering of the wounded, the bereaved, the abandoned orphans in Syria.
	The Global Generation Foundation The GGF supports family medicine training where access to quality health care is limited and works to find solutions for underserved rural populations in resource-poor countries.
	Grand Challenges Canada Grand Challenges Canada supports "Bold Ideas with Big Impact" in global health.
	Healthy Child Uganda HCU is a partnership between Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Canadian Universities and organizations, local health districts, and other Ugandan and international organizations, with active participation by local Ugandan communities. These groups share a common goal of improving maternal, newborn and child health in rural southwestern Uganda.
	Helping Babies Breathe Helping Babies Breathe is a neonatal resuscitation curriculum for resource-limited circumstances.
	Laos Community Development Initiative - Meuang Kang School Project The project of building a new school for Meuang Kang School started in late 2009 after Typhoon Ketsana badly damaged the existing school and many villages of southern Laos. Many individuals and businesses in Pakse, a town in southern Laos, gave money, time and resources to supply emergency relief to the population. Doctors from the University of Calgary in Laos at that time emailed home for help from their community.
	Innovative Canadians for Change (ICChange) ICChange is made up of experts and students from all across Canada who are pooling their skills for the common goal of improving the quality of life and security of vulnerable populations.
	Medical Mercy Canada Medical Mercy Canada Society is a non-religious, non-partisan registered Canadian volunteer organization which provides support to impoverished persons and refugees along the Burmese borders, Nepal and Ukraine. Since 1991 MMC volunteers have been providing medical assistance, education, supplies, as well as funds for local initiatives to facilitate self-sufficiency.
	Mercy Ships Mercy Ships is the world's leading non-governmental ship-based medical organization.
	Operation Esperanza The team provides total hip and knee replacement surgeries to disadvantaged adults, and surgeries for dislocated hips and club feet to poor children, who would otherwise never be able to have such surgery and obtain relief from pain and disability. (EMAS CANADA is a Christian, interdenominational, charitable, non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Canada and in Hong Kong, that partners with organizations overseas in healthcare initiatives.)
	ReSurge International ReSurge International (formerly Interplast) provides free reconstructive surgeries for the poor and builds year-round medical access in underserved areas. It restores the dreams of those with deformities and injuries, and impacts the world by renewing the health of thousands of children and adults each year so they can go to school, provide for their families and contribute to society.
	Team Broken Earth Team Broken Earth supports the relief effort in Haiti to restore strength and hope to the Haitian people in the aftermath of one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent history.
	University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry Global Health Initiative The Global Health Initiative's projects and partnerships contribute to sustainable development for improved health. This is done in a framework that connects local and international education, research and community service.
	University of Calgary Global Health and International Partnerships This initiative provides leadership, funding and support for international experiences for students in the Faculty of Medicine.

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Dr. May Choi (second from left) and her 2016-17 ELiHP co-applicants for the project "Teaching CPR at community sporting events."

Emerging Leaders in Health Promotion (ELiHP) grant program

The AMA Emerging Leaders in Health Promotion grant program supports advocacy initiatives of physicians-in-training.

AMA Youth Run Club (YRC)

Through the AMA Youth Run Club, a partnership of the AMA and Ever Active Schools, physicians, medical students and residents can meet with the children, teachers and families of your communities to encourage physical activity and healthful living.

AMA disclaimer

Read the AMA disclaimer.

Alberta Medical Association Mission: Advocate for and support Alberta physicians. Strengthen their leadership in the provision of sustainable quality care.