Dr. Sayeh Zielke awarded Key to the City

Today, Mayor Blaine Hyggen presented Cardiologist, Dr. Sayeh Zielke with a Key to the City in recognition of her tireless work to improve and advance cardiac care in southern Alberta. 

Bestowed at the discretion of the Mayor, the Key to the City is a municipal government’s highest honour and is given to recognize the outstanding civic contributions of each recipient.

“Dr. Zielke’s accomplishments demonstrate the amazing qualities we look to recognize when awarding the Key to the City,” says Mayor Hyggen. “Not only is she extremely knowledgeable in the field of cardiac care, but she is also an advocate for the needs of her patients and fiercely committed to promoting cardiac wellness in an effort to keep our community strong and healthy.”

Dr. Zielke is an author, medical director and cardiologist based in Lethbridge. She established Chinook Cardiology in 2013 where she is currently the Medical Director. She is also the Medical Director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, part of the Alberta Healthy Living Program of Alberta Health Services.

Dr. Zielke strongly supports the growth of cardiac care in Lethbridge to ensure residents have the programs and services they need. This includes her efforts to advancing the creation of a catheterization (cath) lab at Chinook Regional Hospital.

Cardiac catheterization is a common method used to diagnose and treat various heart issues such as clogged arteries. Currently, Lethbridge residents must travel to Calgary for this treatment. Thanks to the hard work of Dr. Zielke, the Alberta Government has supported the planning of a new cath lab in Lethbridge, contributing $2 million to the project in the 2023 budget. This planning work is now complete, and the project is moving on to the next phase which will include determining the scope, schedule and budget for a new cath lab.

“The cath lab is something City Council has been advocating for and with the dedicated help of Dr. Zielke, we are closer than ever to making that a reality,” says Mayor Hyggen.

Dr. Zielke also served as vice-chair and board member of Alberta Health Services from 2020-2022. This included roles as chair of the Quality and Safety Committee and vice-chair of the Human Resources Committee, providing her expertise and experience not just locally but across the province.

She also shares her knowledge with the doctors of tomorrow, holding faculty appointments as Clinical Lecturer at the University of Calgary (Department of Cardiac Sciences, Cummings School of Medicine) and at the University of Lethbridge as Adjunct Associate Professor (Department of Neuroscience).

Traditionally, the Key to the City is given by the mayor to a visiting dignitary or to a deserving resident. The practice dates back to medieval times, when admission to a city was often hampered by walls, locked gates and many legal restrictions. Possession of the Key symbolized free entry. By the mid-1800s, it was customary to bestow a Key to the City as a symbol of goodwill indicating that the recipient was free to come and go at will.

The last Key to the City was presented May 9, 2017, to Lethbridge Hurricanes Captain, Tyler Wong for his exemplary community service.