Calgary Health Foundation donors come through for those with kidney disease

The new Klassen Bellusci Precision Kidney Clinic will offer patients with complex kidney conditions access to personalized, targeted therapies

Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Oct. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calgary Health Foundation is pleased to announce the opening of a new complex and multidisciplinary kidney care clinic in Calgary. The previous Glomerulonephritis Clinic at the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre was relocated to a larger, newly renovated space at the Richmond Road Diagnostic and Treatment Centre. The move and expansion were made possible thanks to the generosity of Calgary Health Foundation donors who raised $2.1M for the project. The clinic, which officially opened on June 30, 2025, was renamed the Klassen Bellusci Precision Kidney Clinic in recognition of this support.

"We couldn't advance Calgary healthcare without the support of our donors. The Klassen Bellusci Precision Kidney Clinic is an ideal example of how collective effort can transform existing healthcare infrastructure, make use of available space and resources, and ultimately improve patient care.” Paul Rossmann, President & CEO, Calgary Health Foundation.

The new centralized Calgary clinic will offer expanded, multidisciplinary care for patients who have glomerulonephritis, an autoimmune kidney disease. The renovation will allow healthcare specialists to provide leading-edge, effective treatment options for the timely diagnosis, prediction, and prevention of kidney disease.

“The Klassen Bellusci Precision Kidney Clinic represents an exciting step forward for patient care. This clinic delivers highly specialized care for patients with complex inflammatory kidney diseases. It delivers true team-based care with specialized expert allied health care professionals and other specialists at the Richmond Road Diagnostic and Treatment Centre site. Furthermore, it allows for the vertical integration of basic science research, advanced diagnostics, and clinical trials with the aim of delivering precision or personalized care to the patient. In other words, the right therapy for the right person.” Dr. Louis Girard, Medical Director of Glomerulonephritis & the Klassen Bellusci Precision Kidney Clinic, Nephrologist & Clinical Professor of Medicine.

Carlo Bellusci, a cherished community donor of Calgary Health Foundation, has played a significant role in the redevelopment of the clinic. His bi-annual fundraising event, The Great Italian Wine Encounter (GIWE), has raised money toward the clinic and the diagnosis and treatment of complex kidney disease through Calgary Health Foundation for the past 23 years.

“I’m humbled to be associated with the clinic’s redevelopment. To have my name alongside that of Dr. John Klassen’s, one of its most notable physicians, is special. My hope is that GIWE’s enthusiastic support of the clinic over the years will help its team maintain and build on the high standard of care it provides. Likewise, I hope our giving inspires others to do the same. We have more work to do; it’s a pleasure to serve our community.” Carlo Bellusci, President of Vendemmia International Wines and Founder of The Great Italian Wine Encounter.

The number of direct visits per year to the current clinic has been consistently in the 500-600 range. With the new clinic and anticipated growth in its patient population in Calgary, it is anticipated that the new clinic space will be able to accommodate approximately 1,800 direct visits every year by 2030."

“Since the opening of the Klassen Bellusci Precision Clinic, we’ve seen a marked increase in referrals, particularly for complex cases. Since relocating in June 2025, we’ve increased our complex case capacity by over 30 patients from across Southern Alberta, which equates to an approximate 15% increase in three short months. This number is expected to rise as we continue to grow our team and optimize our new space. This expansion underscores our ongoing commitment to delivering personalized, high-quality care to every patient.” Sumeet Dhaliwal, Nurse Practitioner, Klassen Bellusci Precision Kidney Clinic

If you would like to donate toward healthcare redevelopment projects like the Klassen Bellusci Precision Kidney Clinic, contact Calgary Health Foundation at philanthropy@calgaryhealthfoundation.ca or visit givehealth.ca/donate. 

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What is glomerulonephritis?

Glomerulonephritis (GN) is an autoimmune kidney disease. When the kidney’s tiny filters, the glomeruli, are damaged by becoming inflamed and scarred, the kidneys slowly lose their ability to remove waste and excess fluid from the blood and make urine.

Infections and immune system disorders are two causes of glomerulonephritis. Some people with the disease don’t show symptoms. Glomerulonephritis can be mild and go away without treatment. At other times, it can lead kidney failure and other serious complications.

GN afflicts about one in four patients with end-stage renal disease (approximately 48,000 Canadians). While there is no cure, the disease can be put into remission using immunosuppressants, a class of drugs that reduce the strength of the body’s immune system in order to protect the kidneys and organs.

About Calgary Health Foundation

Calgary Health Foundation is a community-based charity raising funds to advance healthcare across our city. We find opportunities to invest in excellence across the entire healthcare system and offer more firsts for care providers and patients, all to enhance outcomes and improve lives. calgaryhealthfoundation.ca 
 
Follow Calgary Health Foundation on social:  
X: @yyc_health, IG: @calgaryhealthfoundation, and Facebook and LinkedIn: Calgary Health Foundation 

For more information, contact:
Kim McNeil, Senior Communications Advisor
Calgary Health Foundation
Ph. 368-997-1131 or kimberley.mcneil@calgaryhealthfoundation.ca

Attachments

Kimberley McNeil
Senior Communications Advisor | Calgary Health Foundation
 368-997-1131
kimberley.mcneil@calgaryhealthfoundation.ca

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