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Health Innovation Roundup
April 1, 2026

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Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation

Glenrose becomes an innovation hub to accelerate age-tech

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The Glenrose Hospital Foundation has joined the envisAGE initiative as its sixth Innovation Hub. The initiative is a partnership between MEDTEQ+ and AGE-WELL to accelerate age-tech research and development across Canada. As an innovation hub, the Glenrose will convene innovators to support independence, active living, and quality of life for older adults.

The announcement follows a $2-million investment by the Glenrose and Alberta Innovates for programs that bring rehab care to rural communities. Four $200,000 grants have been made so far in projects that support stroke recovery. One of them is the Stroke Recovery with Virtual Reality (or STRIVE) project by a group of Calgary-based partners. An Alberta Innovates update on STRIVE explained that clinicians remotely prescribe gamified therapy modules for motor recovery, visual-spatial cognition, and post-stroke aphasia, using pre-configured headsets that don't require home internet. "In one unit, these balls were bouncing all over the place," said STRIVE participant David Impey. "I had a shield that I had to move by moving my hand from one side to the other to divert the ball. That was a lot of fun. I did that for about 10 minutes, and I was moving all over the place."

The Glenrose is also preparing for the Courage Gala on April 18 at the Edmonton Convention Centre. Funds raised will go toward the $6.5 million needed to renovate and reopen the therapeutic pool at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. Robert Agostinis, whose rehab journey included using the pool, will deliver a keynote at the gala. "When I finally went down to the pool, it was actually amazing," Agostinis told Global News. "I went into the water, and all of sudden, I could feel all my muscles moving. I was a quadriplegic (at that time)." The provincial government has already committed half of the funds for the pool's reopening.

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Happenings

Here are some events coming up over the next seven days:

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.

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