Boundless Inspiration Celebrating the Legacy Of
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“ I am content. BOUNDLESS I am doing what INSPIRATION I want to do. Why shouldn’t I be happy — CELEBRATING see what my riches consist of. First THE LEGACY I have important OF NORMAN work that fully occupies every BETHUNE minute of time… 1939–2014 I am needed.” Norman Bethune Faculty of Medicine, 1916 TITLE SPONSOR “ I am content. I am doing what I want to do. Why shouldn’t I be happy — see what my riches consist of. First I have important work that fully occupies every minute of time… I am needed.” TABLE OF CONTENTS Norman Bethune Faculty of Medicine, 1916 Message from Honorary Chair, 2 the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson Welcome 4 Message from Meric Gertler, 6 President of the University of Toronto Message from the Bethune Family 8 Becoming Doctor Bethune (1890 –1927) 10 The Road to China (1928–37) 12 The Heroic Years (1938–39) 16 The Legacy (1939–present) 18 A History of Meeting Global Challenges 22 Advancing Medicine in the 21st Century 23 Transforming Health through 24 Education and Research Preparing Global Citizens 28 Inspiring the Next Generation 30 The Norman Bethune Sculpture 32 The Norman Bethune Gala 34 Boundless Legacy 36 Thanks to our Sponsors 38 Norman Bethune is a potent symbol of the University of Toronto’s historic ties with China. A graduate of our Faculty of Medicine, Bethune travelled to China in 1938 where he spent the better part of two years operating on war casualties and training Chinese doctors and paramedics. Since his passing in the Hebei Province in 1939, Bethune’s legacy and global impact continues to inspire the world today. On the approach of the 75th anniversary of his passing, the Faculty held two landmark events in his honour. Under the patronage of the 26th Governor General of Canada, The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, the President of the University of Toronto, Meric Gertler, and Dean of Medicine, Dr. Catharine Whiteside, the Faculty unveiled a bronze sculpture of Norman Bethune at U of T’s St. George campus on May 30, 2014 and held the Norman Bethune Gala on May 31, 2014 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto. MESSAGE FROM NORMAN BETHUNE GALA HONORARY CHAIR, THE RIGHT HONOURABLE ADRIENNE CLARKSON The Right Honourable ADRIENNE CLARKSON, PC, CC, CMM, COM, CD 26th Governor General of Canada THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A CANADIAN LIKE NORMAN enemy. As a brilliant thoracic surgeon, he invented BETHUNE. To me, he is the most extraordinary nearly a dozen instruments a few of which are still in Canadian who ever lived because of the qualities use today, including the Bethune rib shears. He profited he displayed, which were fundamentally our best from nothing he ever did and gave the revenue from his characteristics as a nation and because he has been patents to the man who manufactured the tools for him. recognized and continues to be recognized by the He came up with a policy to have virtually free medical largest country in the world, China. care for Canadians in 1936, and, bitterly disappointed when no political parties would take up this cause, It was with the Chinese people that Bethune came to went to Spain to help the Republican cause. There his apotheosis as a doctor, as a human being, and as he invented ambulatory blood transfusion and saved a Canadian. As a doctor he performed Herculean feats hundreds of lives in the year that he was there which was of endurance and technical skill. As a humanitarian before the arrival of the Mackenzie-Papineau Bridgade. he gave of himself to a people of whom he had no real previous knowledge and as a Canadian he displayed His death was a kind of martyrdom because he did not the generosity, kindness and acceptance, which we stop helping when equipment ran out. He operated have as qualities when we are at our best. without gloves and put himself at such risk that he contracted blood poisoning and died of septicemia. His life story is inspiring: growing up in a small town in Ontario, realizing that medicine was his vocation, At the age of 48, he made his mark in the world in a way going into the First World War as an ambulance bearer, that few can do. He did this by being himself, by being committing himself to the eradication of tuberculosis the product of an early 20th century Canada, which was through his skills as a surgeon. poised at a time at the beginning of enormous growth. He would never live to see the rewards of his sacrifice. His willingness to put his own life on the line was always But he never questioned the certainty of his commitment evident. It was dangerous to be a stretcher bearer in the to his fellow human beings. He offered to humanity all Right: Dr. Bethune while serving First World War, but it meant he could save lives without that he could give—his own life. in the Frontier District in China having to risk taking the life of anyone, including the (Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library). 2 BOUNDLESS INSPIRATION WELCOME CATHARINE WHITESIDE JUSTIN POY MD, PhD Chair, Norman Bethune Dean, Faculty of Medicine Celebration Vice-Provost, Relations with Health Care Institutions University of Toronto IT IS OUR GREAT HONOUR TO WELCOME YOU TO THE In addition to this exciting Gala, the Faculty unveiled NORMAN BETHUNE GALA, A MOMENTOUS EVENT FOR a landmark tribute to Dr. Bethune when we unveiled THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF a bronze sculpture in his likeness at the University’s TORONTO. Since his graduation from the Faculty in St. George campus on May 30, 2014. This sculpture 1916, Dr. Bethune has become a legend throughout is a reminder of our connection to our honoured the world for his selflessness and innovation in health alumnus, Norman Bethune, who will continue to care. During his brief, but impactful life, Dr. Bethune’s inspire our Faculty and students. humanitarianism and approach to care reflected the very attributes the Faculty tries to cultivate in our Over the past few months, we have thoroughly students. As we approach the 75th anniversary of enjoyed working with our wonderfully dedicated his passing, his legacy has only grown and become group of volunteers who have been instrumental a source of inspiration for many global citizens. in providing the Faculty with direction on many aspects of these exciting events. Their passion We are especially honoured to have our former Governor for Dr. Bethune’s legacy has been a humbling Right: the Terrence Donnelly General, the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, join testament to his boundless impact. Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research is a us as the Norman Bethune Gala Honorary Chair. As the collaborative multidisciplinary author of the book, Extraordinary Canadians: Norman Finally, we thank you for sharing this moment with hub at the University of Toronto Bethune, she has nurtured the collective memory of the Faculty of Medicine. We are delighted to have bringing together investigators Dr. Bethune’s contribution around the world. We thank such an opportunity to recognize Dr. Bethune and from the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Applied Science her for generously donating a copy of her book to our the impact of his legacy, not only on the Faculty and Engineering and the Gala participants. of Medicine, but throughout the world. Faculty of Arts & Science. 4 BOUNDLESS INSPIRATION MESSAGE FROM MERIC GERTLER, PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO Professor MERIC GERTLER PhD, FRSC, AcSS, MCIP President, University of Toronto AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, AND partner research hospitals, 1,500 researchers, and AS A PROUD CANADIAN, I AM DELIGHTED TO SHARE 5,000 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. IN THE CELEBRATION OF THE LEGACY OF DR. NORMAN Medical and health research with partners in China BETHUNE. Bethune stands forever as one of our most covers an array of fields, including neuroscience, famous alumni, and as an extraordinarily accomplished haematology, biomaterial-stem cell delivery strategy, graduate of our Faculty of Medicine. World renowned critical care medicine, cancer, diabetes, influenza in the history of humanitarianism, he served and and tuberculosis. These partnerships exemplify the continues to serve as a key bridge between Canada and Faculty’s mission to provide international leadership China. We at the University of Toronto are especially in improved health through innovation in education pleased that he remains a powerful link between our and research. Right: The Faculty of Medicine global community of scholars and alumni, and many of at the University of Toronto has China’s leading institutions of advanced research and I join everyone taking part in this celebration of nine fully affiliated hospitals, higher education. For these reasons I was honoured to Dr. Norman Bethune, in the hope that this gathering all of which are included in take part in the recent unveiling of the bronze sculpture will strengthen our relationships and help to forge Toronto’s Discovery District– the hub of the world’s largest of Bethune outside the Medical Sciences Building and new ones. As President, I thank The Right Honourable and most productive biomedical in view of the Ontario Legislative Building. It will serve Adrienne Clarkson for serving as Honorary Chair of research networks: Baycrest as a tangible landmark reflecting our shared history and the Norman Bethune Gala, all of our generous and Centre for Geriatric Care, the reminding us of the ideals to which the Faculty aspires. dedicated donors and Gala volunteers, and Mr. Justin Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Poy, for serving as Norman Bethune Celebration Chair.