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BestPractice
A CANADIAN MEDICAL FOUNDATION PUBLICATION
FALL 2011
Physicians Rise to the Challenge at General Council
Record-breaking $51,000 raised in St. John’s!
An emotional Dr. Henry Haddad stood at the podium
and issued a challenge
After three years as Chair of the
Canadian Medical Foundation,
Dr. Haddad invited more than 300
of his colleagues to join him with
their financial support. They did,
breaking a record by raising more
than $51,000.
Funds raised from General Council
will help bolster our three programs;
Physician Health and Well-being,
Medical Student Bursaries and
Medical Outreach.
“The Canadian Medical Foundation is
an extension of what it means to be a
physician,” said Dr. Haddad. “To care
for our colleagues. To care for medical
students and to care for the people we
help in the developing world.”
Golf Tournament Raises Over $267,000
On the manicured fairways at Glen Abbey Golf
and Country Club over 144 golfers swung,
putted and hit the fairway in support of the
Canadian Medical Foundation.
More than $267,000 was raised during a
wonderful day of golf.
Thanks to our sponsors: Deloitte, MD Physician
Services, MacKenzie Investments, Manulife
Asset Management, Acuity, AGF, Borden
Ladner Gervais, Brockhouse Cooper, Canada
Life, Canadian Medical Association, Carleton
Financial Group, CIBC Asset Management,
Dollco Printing, Emond Harnden, Franklin
Templeton, Highstreet Asset Management
Inc., Jensen Investment Management, KWA
Partners (Ottawa), New Amsterdam Partners
LLC, NWQ, PricewaterhouseCoopers, RPM
Technologies, Subaru and TD.
Special thanks to all the volunteers who gave
their time. Stay tuned for information on our
2012 Tournament!
Dr. Haddad’s message resonated
throughout General Council. A sea of
donor buttons were worn proudly by
hundreds of delegates.
Thank You Henry and Welcome
Ruth! Canadian Medical Foundation
“These types of leadership gifts prove the Luncheon at General Council in St.
Foundation is doing exactly what our
John’s Newfoundland. Mr. Brian Peters
(President & CEO, MD Physician
donors and Canadian doctors expect
Services) salutes outgoing CMF Chair
us to do,” remarked new Foundation
Chair, Dr. Ruth Collins-Nakai. “We are Dr. Henry Haddad and welcomes
the only national Canadian foundation incoming Chair. Dr. Ruth CollinsNakai. Joining them onstage is Pauldedicated to the health and well-being
of Canadian physicians. By giving back Émile Cloutier (Secretary General and
CEO, Canadian Medical Association).
we are moving forward.”
Paul Mason (MD Physician Services), Jeff Black (Deloitte),
Danny Cisterna (Deloitte) and Brian Peters (President and
CEO, MD Physician Services), pose for a quick photo after
watching Mr. Cisterna sink an amazing fifteen foot putt.
THE CANADIAN MEDICAL FOUNDATION • 1870 ALTA VISTA DR • OTTAWA ON • K1G 6R7
Are YOU Your Most Important Patient?
Three physicians discover the healing power of caring for yourself first.
Dr. Ralph Scandiffio
Dr. Tracy Thomson
Dr. Michael Kaufmann
Retired GP, Dr. Scandiffio had a
‘normal’ general practice. He saw an
average of 30 patients per day. Still, his
practice was all-consuming affecting his
time with wife and children.
From the outside, Dr. Tracy Thomson
led the perfect life. Married to a
physician working in a small town. Life
was good. At least on the surface.
Dr. Kaufmann had it all. It wasn’t until
he nearly lost everything that he was
able to rebuild his life and in the long
process to help others as well.
It wasn’t until she literally had to crawl
her way out of hospital that she realized
her life had to change. And fast.
Thinking his substance abuse problem
was under control, Dr. Kaufmann
was shocked when one day in 1986
a colleague confronted him in the
hospital parking lot.
Even fifteen years of chronic back pain
couldn’t keep him out of the office. He
was committed to his patients.
Her marriage crumbling, stress levels
increasing, Dr. Thomson contracted
meningitis, hepatitis and pancreatitis all He said; ‘Mike, we know what you’re
at the same time.
doing, we know about the problem
you have’.
“I lost everything. Friends, colleagues,
“In a two minute encounter, he literally
the extended family and support. I had
“I saw a psychiatrist and by the second
reached into his pocket and he had the
to step up for what I believed in for
or third visit, he thought I was just an
number to call for help.‘You have until 3
myself
and
for
my
children.
That
took
overworked GP. But he also thought
o’clock this afternoon to call this number.
there was something deeper and that my a lot of courage.”
I’m going to check. If you haven’t called,
depression had to be treated”.
my next call will be to the College of
To learn more about these stories visit medicalfoundation.ca
Physicians and Surgeons.”
“I had continuing back pain from 1973
to 1988. I thought I was depressed and
I thought my back pain was the main
thing.”
Photo: Tourism Toronto
Supported by
This initiative was made possible through an
unrestricted Educational Grant from Pfizer Canada Inc.
medicalfoundation.ca
How Far Would You Go?
Nine Volunteers Head Overseas for Medical Outreach
Beginning in November 2011, the
Canadian Medical Foundation (CMF)
will sponsor 9 physicians who will
donate their time and skills to partner
with healthcare organizations in Nepal,
Burkina Faso, and Malawi.
The CMF remains committed to
our partner organizations in these
countries, helping build their capacity
in the areas of maternal health,
palliative care, and prevention of
mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
We would like to congratulate our 9
successful candidates for 2011!
Nepal: Dr. Ruth Brighouse
(Salmon Arm, BC) and Dr. Nancy
Trimble (Barrie, ON) will work
with Aadharbhut Prasuti Sewa and
the Midwifery Society of Nepal
in maternal health. They will be
accompanied by MD Physician Services
employee Daniel Labonte who will
work alongside in an organizational
development capacity.
Burkina Faso: Dr. Martin Labrie
(Calgary, AB) and Dr. Pierre Allard
(Ottawa, ON) will return to Burkina
Faso continuing their groundbreaking
palliative care work with SEMUS
Association (Solidarité et Entraide
Mutuelle au Sahal) and REVS+
(Responsabilité- Espoir-Vie-Solidarité).
They first volunteered in Burkina Faso
in 2010 and look forward to going back.
REVS+ will also be supported by Dr.
Shital Ghandi (Toronto, ON) who will
focus on general internal medicine and
obstetrics. Joining them and working
in a finance role will be MD employee
Sarah Lowden.
Malawi : Our volunteers will be paired
with counterparts at four different
hospitals. Dr. Megan Williams (Ottawa,
ON) will be at the Likuni Hospital
Dr. Pierre Allard (second from right), delivers a
Physician Travel Pack to health care workers at
REVS+ in Burkina Faso.
focusing on prevention of mother to
child transmission of HIV. In palliative
care, Dr. Kathy Simpson (Thunder
Bay, ON) will work with the Nguludi
Hospital and Nursing College. Dr. Cary
Shafir (Guelph, ON) will be at St.-Anne
Hospital, while Dr. Sid Brodovsky
(Guelph, ON) will work with the
Mulanje Mission Hospital.
Each volunteer will also equip their
partner organization with a bicycle
ambulance. This vital means of
transport transfers patients from their
rural homes to the nearest clinic. In
addition, everyone brings a physician
travel pack containing enough essential
medicines to treat up to 600 patients.
The CMF thanks everyone who applied
for this amazing opportunity and we
wish each of our volunteers a wonderful
experience! You can read their stories
and impact in their online blog
(medicalfoundation.ca) and in a future
issue of Best Practice.
To sponsor a Physician Travel Pack or
to support Medical Outreach contact
the Canadian Medical Foundation at
1 888.770.7775 or email [email protected].
Thinking
of someone
close to you
Tribute giving at the
Canadian Medical
Foundation
Honour a loved one,
friend or colleague with
a gift in their memory to
the Canadian Medical
Foundation.
Contact us at
1 888 770.7775
or by email to
[email protected]
for more information.
medicalfoundation.ca
medicalfoundation.ca
Aboriginal Student Bursary Helps Young
Mother Excel at Medical School
Canadian Medical Foundation
Medical Student Bursary Facts
• More than $660,000 disbursed in
2010 through strong partnerships
with Provincial and Territorial
Medical Associations
• $55,000 disbursed to 11 Aboriginal
students in 2010
Canadian Medical Foundation audited financial
statements are available upon request.
While she stays connected to her three young children
and other things that matter.
Sarah Brascoupe-Funnell will be a
successful and productive physician.
Without a doubt.
Her love of medicine was formed at the
hospital bedside of her mother during her
rapid deterioration from non-Hodgkins
lymphoma.
“I would sit there with her for hours,
fascinated with the doctors and the care
they gave my mom. I knew I would
someday work in a hospital.”
Leaving the small Alderville First Nation
in southern Ontario, Sarah enrolled at the
University of British Columbia and then
went on to the British Columbia Institute
of Technology where she received an x-ray
technician diploma.
Sarah eventually moved to California
where she worked for four years. While in
the Bay area, Sarah split her professional
career evenly between O’Connor Hospital
in San Jose and Stanford Medical Center
in Palo Alto.
Moving back to Canada, Sarah and her
family settled in Ottawa. Fascinated by
Aboriginal studies, she completed a four
year course at Carleton University.
With a working husband and two young
children, Sarah fulfilled her dream
by enrolling in medical school at the
University of Ottawa.
Next came her third daughter and daily
challenges including medical school, a
busy household, childcare and of
course...bills.
However, Sarah always maintains a
positive outlook. One January morning
she opened an email discovering she
had been awarded a bursary from the
Canadian Medical Foundation.
“All of a sudden I could see light at the end
of the tunnel. I could focus on my studies. I
felt like I could finally contribute financially
to my young family.”
Sarah is already giving back. She is deeply
involved with the Aboriginal medical
student program at the University of
Ottawa.
“The Canadian Medical Foundation is
proud to support medical students like
Sarah,” says Joanne Mavis, Foundation
President and CEO. “Our donors
want to help medical students be their
best. Through them we are able to help
Aboriginal students and other students get
through this demanding phase of
their career.”
Support
Online : medicalfoundation.ca
Phone : 1 888 770.7775
Mail: Fill out this form and mail to :
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DONATE BY PHONE: 1 888 770.7775 OR ONLINE @ MEDICALFOUNDATION.CA