Verna Yiu, '84 BMedSc, '86 MD, Alberta Health Services president and CEO, thanks Dianne and Irving Kipnes (centre). Photo by Michael Brown.
The Dianne and Irving Kipnes Chair in Lymphatic Disorders is the first of its kind in Canada. It will help drive research in Alberta and improve care for people suffering with medical problems-such as lymphedema-associated with the lymphatic system.
"We are at the ground floor of this because there really is no substantial collection of knowledge about lymphatic disorders right now," said Irving Kipnes of the Dianne and Irving Foundation, which committed $5 million to establish the new research chair.
The University Hospital Foundation (UHF) and their community of donors matched a gift of $1 million made by the Kipnes Foundation through the UHF, increasing the total commitment to $7 million.
"We've always wanted to do something in Edmonton," said Dianne Kipnes, who was diagnosed with lymphedema in 2009, five years after undergoing treatment for cervical cancer. "I think we can help a lot of people who are dealing with a lot of pain. How many times in anybody's life do you get to develop an area where so much research is needed?"
The University of Alberta Department of Oncology and Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta (CRINA) are involved in the international search and selection of the chair. CRINA will also adjudicate awards made possible by the donations for trainees who will contribute work on lymphedema research projects.