EKFH supports clinical research at East Kootenay Regional Hospital
February 26, 2026
A new ultra-low temperature freezer funded by the East Kootenay Foundation for Health (EKFH) is now in use at East Kootenay Regional Hospital (EKRH). The freezer cost $22,000 and was supported through the generosity of donations made to our East Kootenay Regional Hospital funds.
The new freezer strengthens the region’s capacity to support clinical research and community health needs. Shared between the clinical research team and the hospital’s pathology team, the freezer provides the specialized storage required to safely preserve high quality biological samples.
The addition has enabled pathologists to collect and store post-mortem samples for investigation of sudden unexpected death and potential inherited conditions. This information can provide closure about the death of a loved one or may even be life saving for living family members. Cryopreservation (freezing) of tissues also allows donation of post-mortem tissues to approved research programs such as UBC Brain Health, supporting a community members’ final wishes to donate to medical science.
EKFH’s support of the freezer has expanded opportunities for community participation in research and improved access to diagnostic investigation for potentially life-threatening conditions without requiring travel to an urban centre. By enabling secure, on-site storage of samples requiring ultra-low temperatures, the new freezer enhances the hospital’s ability to involve rural community members in research. This helps ensure clinical evidence is relevant and applicable to rural populations.
The addition of this freezer aligns with the goals of the EKRH Clinical Research Unit, Interior Health’s newest clinical research site. Established with support from the Accelerated Clinical Trials Canada initiative, facilitated by Dr. Denise Jaworsky, the program is working to build sustainable rural research capacity. The unit creates opportunities for community members to participate in clinical studies and contributes to research that reflects the needs and realities of rural communities in the East Kootenay.
EKFH is delighted to support the Clinical Research Unit in bringing rural representation to medical research to ensure better health comes for our region. We look forward to continuing our support equipment purchases and initiatives to aid the unit as their research progresses.
To learn more about how EKFH supports health care across the East Kootenay, visit www.ekfh.ca. For more information about IH clinical research, visit www.interiorhealth.ca/about-ih/research/clinical-research. To contact the EKRH clinical research team directly, email [email protected].
In Photo: Dr. Launny Lowden (EKRH Executive Medical Director, Quality Area Medical Director, Kootenay Laboratories Diagnostic & Clinical Pathologist) & Brenna Hong (EKFH Executive Director). Not pictured: Denise Jaworsky, Jennifer Siemens and Diane Turner-Crerar.