PHILANTHROPY
C U M M I N G . U C A LG A RY.C A / M AG A ZI N E
05
UCALGARY MEDICINE SPRING / SUMMER 2015
Supporting the next generation
A BLOOD CANCER THAT SPREADS OUT
Bursary supports those who serve for others way to pay tribute to a loved one while helping others. The Martin T. Spoor Memorial Bursary was established to honour the memory of Dr. Martin Spoor, who died in a plane crash while on an organ transplant mission. It provides support to future generations of doctors—future medical leaders like Meera Grover. Grover is a first-year medical student whose incredible history has led her to the study of medicine. At 28 she has completed a degree in development studies, worked overseas in the fight against child trafficking, completed the nursing program at the University of Calgary, worked as a street outreach nurse, and is now completing medical school. "My deep core belief is that everyone should have equal rights and opportunities and everyone should have equal access to health care. My feelings stem from a sense of justice," she says. Spoor lived his life to help people and Grover is structuring her life to be able to do the same. Calgary is home to her and her husband, and both are passionate about helping people. The Martin T. Spoor Memorial Bursary is allowing the couple to achieve their goals by alleviating some of the financial burden they face, while affording them the time to volunteer in their community. “Support like this helps me re-focus on what's important, which is people and medicine,” she says. "Physicians are uniquely positioned to influence societal change from a health perspective and that is something I want to do.”
Community backing paves way for personalized therapies
“
Our hope is that these bursaries will also help people in medical school and that finances won’t be a barrier for those continuing or starting medical school.
A BURSARY IS A THOUGHTFUL
”
Melanie, Borys, Hayla and Larissa Hoshowsky
Planning for future impacts future of others includes a number of considerations: Will I have enough money to retire? Will my children be able to afford an education? For Dr. Borys Hoshowsky and his wife Melanie it included, how can we give back to our community in a meaningful way? The Hoshowsky's concluded that one way to give back was through estate planning and a legacy gift—a planned future donation—to the Cumming School of Medicine. This generous intention will create the future Dr. Borys, Melanie, Larissa and Hayla Hoshowsky Medical Education Bursary to aid young people pursuing careers in medicine. Hoshowsky first became a pharmacist and went on to pursue medicine at the University of Calgary. He almost didn’t finish medical school, needing help with finances to carry him through his last year, but received generous support from a friend.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
That generosity led Hoshowsky to go on and receive specialized training at the University of California, Los Angeles and to complete his residency in otolaryngology in Toronto. This culminated in a flourishing career in Calgary, working in a supportive and collegial environment at the Rockyview General Hospital for the past 26 years. “I was fortunate to get into medical school and receive help,” says Hoshowsky. “Our hope is that these bursaries will also help people in medical school and that finances won’t be a barrier for those continuing or starting medical school.” The Hoshowskys’ philanthropic nature will not only leave a legacy for their family, it will impact future medical students who can then improve the lives of others. “I’ve been very fortunate in a variety of different ways,” says Hoshowsky. “We're thankful we can give back in this way.”
Dr. Maureen Topps, Dr. Wenqian Chen, Dr. Sumathili Raja, Dr. Chirag Shah
One person can make a difference BECOMING A DOCTOR IS DIFFICULT for anyone, but international medical residents face additional challenges in their journey to pursue training and accreditation within the Canadian medical system. The concept of paying it forward isn't new, but Dr. Chirag Shah's personal experiences led him to want to help others in the same position by creating the Dr. Chirag Shah International Resident Award at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine. Drs. Wenqian Chen and Sumathili Raja, both previous award recipients, understand the struggles of being an international medical graduate. This award has influenced their lives in different ways. Chen, an anatomical pathology resident, says the award has helped expand her social circle and she wants to help guide other immigrants through the long process of becoming a resident in the future. Raja practices family medicine, but getting to that point was no easy path. The award not only provided financial support, but also boosted her confidence.
I always want to do “more. I hope that other immigrants will have courage and hope; it’s a hard journey, but if you keep moving forward you'll be able to pursue your passions.
”
As a pupil of the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, Shah says he wants to change the world in a positive way. He experienced many struggles over his lifetime but simple acts of kindness, including a woman giving him a bus ticket that allowed him to make it to a fellowship interview, made a difference in his life and he intends to make a difference in other people’s lives. “I always want to do more,” says Shah. “I hope that other immigrants will have courage and hope; it’s a hard journey, but if you keep moving forward you'll be able to pursue your passions.”
throughout the bone and bone marrow, multiple myeloma is a disease that typically has no familial connections— yet both Patrick Quinn and his mother, Myrna, have been diagnosed and treated for the condition. Dr. Nizar Bahlis is a clinician and researcher at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine who is making advances in myeloma research and care, and has helped the Quinns reach a manageable stage in the treatment of the disease. "I feel well cared for. They said they could treat this and get this to a manageable place and they have," says Myrna. To help other patients with this condition and further future research, the Quinns have generously donated to support myeloma research. “We feel that we have benefitted from past research and that current research will help others in the future," says Patrick. “It is not a common cancer—and that makes it a challenge for researchers.” With the help of people like the Quinns, Bahlis and his team are undertaking research to understand myeloma cancer cells through genome sequencing, in which the DNA sequence of one’s genetic material is studied. “We hope in the future, because of genome sequencing, that we'll be able to offer what is called personalized therapies,” says Bahlis. “Not every patient is the same, and Myrna's myeloma is different from Patrick's myeloma. In the near future we hope every cancer patient will be offered personalized treatment based on their cancer cell mutation profile.” Personalized care is the way forward for individuals affected by myeloma and research is being bolstered thanks to community support. “It never ceases to amaze me how committed and selfless these patients are,” says Bahlis. “They not only want to help themselves but they also realize that if they help with research today it will help other people in the future.”