Our Cause
Meet Kristy and Otto
For Otto, heart care didn’t begin in an operating room.
It began before he was born.
At Kristy Isert’s routine 20-week ultrasound, doctors discovered something was wrong with her baby’s heart. Further testing confirmed Otto had complex congenital heart defects, conditions that could put his life at risk without specialized care.
Because the diagnosis came early, before Otto took his first breath, there was time to plan.
Care Before Birth: Planning for a Life-Saving Start
Kristy was referred to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, where maternal-fetal medicine specialists and pediatric cardiologists worked together to closely monitor Otto’s heart in utero. Advanced imaging, frequent scans, and coordinated care helped prepare for a high-risk delivery and the cardiac care Otto would need immediately after birth.
As Kristy’s pregnancy progressed, it became clear Otto needed to be born where specialized teams were ready to act. In the final months, Kristy relocated to Edmonton so she could deliver at the Royal Alex.
Otto was born by emergency C-section—strong, but with a fragile heart.
Because his care had been planned months in advance, teams were ready. Otto was stabilized, monitored in intensive care, and prepared for the next phase of his journey.
From Diagnosis to Surgery: Care That Continues
At just two months old, Otto underwent his first open-heart surgery at the University of Alberta Hospital, home to one of Canada’s most advanced cardiac surgery programs, the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Insititute. It was the first of several procedures he would need as he grew.
Over the years, Otto’s care has continued across both hospitals, combining early diagnosis, complex surgery, follow-up care, and advancing technology that has allowed later procedures to be less invasive and recovery times shorter.
At age five, he faced another open-heart surgery. Each step reflected a system working together to support one child, at every stage of life.
Today: A Childhood Made Possible
Today, Otto is nearly nine years old. He plays sports, keeps up with his friends, and carries a scar he proudly calls “where the doctors fixed my heart.”
His story is a reminder that heart care isn’t a single moment, it’s a continuum. From prenatal screening and high-risk pregnancy care to life-saving surgery and long-term follow-up, Otto’s life has been shaped by teams working together across hospitals, specialties, and years.
More Than a Home
Every year, the Full House Lottery captures our imagination with beautiful homes and life-changing prizes. But the true beauty of this lottery isn’t found in the design or the décor, it is found in the lives saved from the earliest moments of life through adulthood, because Albertans choose to buy a ticket. When you support Full House, you are directly supporting the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation and the University Hospital Foundation, and the world-class cardiac care they provide.
The Power of Two: C.K. Hui and the Mazankowski
The proceeds from this lottery are the lifeblood of two of Canada’s most prestigious heart centres working together to deliver cardiac care from early diagnosis to the most complex interventions.
These aren’t just hospitals, they are centres of hope. Whether cardiac care begins with early intervention or advances to complex surgery, the care provided is made possible through the community’s support through this lottery.
By uniting our two foundations, we are pooling our resources and our support through the Full House Lottery to ensure that patients receive the right care at the right time, whether a patient needs the specialized interventional care of the C.K. Hui or the advanced, life-saving surgery at the Mazankowski, it is available.
The Impact of a Ticket
When you buy a Full House ticket, you are doing more than entering a draw. You are supporting cardiac care at every stage of life. You are:
~ Equipping our surgeons with the latest robotic technology.
~ Funding research that catches heart disease early, sometimes before symptoms ever appear.
~ Ensuring that when a crisis hits, the best cardiac teams in the country are ready to respond.
We often talk about ‘dream homes’ during this lottery, but for a patient waiting for cardiac care, the ‘dream’ is simply to go home to their family and to live a full life beyond their diagnosis. Your support makes that dream a reality.
The support provided through Full House Lottery funds the future. It’s about supporting the researchers who are discovering new treatments, the clinicians who are perfecting minimally invasive surgeries, and the patients who rely on us throughout their lives for a second chance at life.
A Call to Action
When you support these foundations through the Full House Lottery, you are investing in a healthier Alberta. Because of our donors, the C.K. Hui and the Mazankowski are where miracles happen every day, from the earliest diagnoses to the most advanced life-saving procedures. Together, we are keeping more hearts beating and more families whole.
On behalf of the thousands of patients who walk through the doors of the C.K. Hui and the Mazankowski every year, thank you. Let’s make this the most successful Full House Lottery yet, because a healthy heart at every stage of life is the greatest prize of all.