Monday, September 30, 2013
St Joseph's Health Care, London
Honouring Two of London’s Medical Visionaries St Joseph’s World-Renowned Hand and Upper Limb Centre Has a New Name
The Hand and Upper Limb Centre at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London has a new name in honour of two of the city’s most widely- acclaimed surgeons.
In a dedication ceremony on Sept. 27, the centre was renamed the Roth McFarlane Hand and Upper Limb Centre as a permanent tribute to its visionary founders – the late Drs. James Roth (1951-2013) and Robert McFarlane (1927-2006).
With more than 35,000 clinic visits, 14,000 therapy visits and 4,000 surgical cases each year, the Roth McFarlane centre is the largest of its kind in Canada. As a combined orthopaedic and plastic surgery unit the centre’s physicians and staff specialize in the care of patients with injuries and conditions of the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder. At the same time, cutting-edge research in four labs at the centre focused on bioengineering, cell and molecular biology, clinical research and surgical mechatronics digs deep to further understand and improve treatment of the upper limb.
“The expertise, foresight, leadership and hard work of the two surgeons were the building blocks of the centre, which opened in 1992 and quickly became recognized internationally as a leader in surgical innovation, patient care, and teaching excellence,” says Dr. Gillian Kernaghan, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health Care London. “It’s most fitting that we honour these remarkable surgeons, whose contributions continue to make a lasting difference in the lives of patients.”
Dr. Graham King, medical director of the Roth McFarlane centre, says the expert multidisciplinary team“works every day to ensure the legacy of Drs. Roth and McFarlane lives on.” The renaming, he adds, “is a well-deserved tribute to two exceptional physicians whose brilliance and mentorship gave us a centre of excellence that continues to thrive.”
Dr. Roth was a leading orthopaedic surgeon specializing in hand surgery, while Dr. McFarlane was a Canadian pioneer in plastic surgery and hand surgery. As students at Western University, both were top athletes and football stars. Dr. McFarlane went on to hold five Canadian records in track and field and was the flag bearer for the Canadian Olympic team at the 1948 Summer Olympics. During their tenures as professors at Western, both trained many surgeons, who now practice all over the world. Recipients of numerous awards, the two medical giants collectively authored more than 171 articles and 73 book chapters.
Media Contact:
Kelsi Break
Communication Consultant
519.646.6100 ext. 64792
kelsi.break@sjhc.london.on.ca
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