EDMONTON -- For the first time in its 35-year history, the University of Alberta Hospital Foundation’s Festival of Trees is going virtual. And it comes with a 50/50 ticket jackpot of $500,000 dollars to support Alzheimer’s disease research of the U of A.

“We really wanted to continue the tradition having people be engaged,” said Jodi Abbott, president and CEO of the University of Alberta Hospital Foundation. “We think people also need something to look forward to and certainly with the 50/50 there’s an opportunity to be able to win and in this case win up to $500,000.”

Abbott says the research team was able to figure out a chemical compound that they can give to mice that restores memory. “So this research is incredibly promising and we want to be able to support it and move it forward,” said Abbott.

The 50/50 tickets went on sale Monday with a Dec. 23 deadline to purchase. The winning ticket number will be posted on uhf5050.ca on Dec. 31.

“We have the opportunity to raise up to a million dollars with $500,000 going into the pot for the 50/50,” said Abbott. “It’s really an opportunity for our community to come together for the purpose of health and really bringing everyone together.”

It is estimated that 50,000 Albertans suffer from Alzheimer’s.

Supporters can go to uhf5050.ca and select from the following ticket pack options.

Tickets will be available as follows:

  • 1 for $20 – 2,900 tickets available;
  • 10 for $50 – 4,348 tickets available;
  • 50 for $100 – 7,246 tickets available.