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Photography AMANDA FREELY
Daniel Charbonneau, 37, who came to
Edmonton for work, didn’t know much about the
University Hospital Foundation at first, or the
hospital sites it supports. But in 2020, he had a
freak accident and needed to get stitches at the
University of Alberta Hospital. He made a full
recovery, but long after the stitches dissolved, he’s
been struck by the care he received.
His dad, Arnie Charbonneau, was a successful
business leader in Calgary and a generous
philanthropist who supported many causes. He
passed away in 2018, but Arnie’s legacy of giving
continues through his charitable foundation and
the values he instilled in his children.
Daniel is following in his father’s footsteps of
health philanthropy. After his emergency room
visit, he gave generously to support high priority
needs in the emergency department, including
a blood infuser machine. Since that time, he and
his wife Aliya have donated to numerous areas
of care and signed up to be part of the inaugural
University Hospital Foundation Igniters, a group
10 HERE. 2 0 2 5
ALIYA & DANIEL CHARBONNEAU
“It’s about the results. I don’t
care about the recognition. I
care about the effectiveness
of the donation.”
- Daniel Charbonneau
of next-gen philanthropists who are donating
and advising on how contributions are allocated.
“I really feel for the medical staff. It can be a
thankless job, and they’re doing the best they
can, but it’s not easy. In whatever ways I can, I
wanted to try and help,” says Daniel.
While they don’t have kids yet, Daniel and
Aliya hope to grow their family and instill in
them the same generosity that Arnie had.
“Late in my dad’s life, he shared more about his
approach to giving, and I’d like to pass that on
to them. It’s about the results. I don’t care about
the recognition. I care about the effectiveness of
the donation.”