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Queen’s University Faculty of Health Sciences and Lakeridge Health in Durham Region have partnered to create the first academic chair in palliative care based at a community hospital in Canada. The chair will serve to attract a palliative care physician who will manage a clinical practice at Lakeridge Health, one of Ontario’s largest community hospitals while conducting research at Queen’s.

“By partnering together, Queen’s and Lakeridge Health will be able to pioneer new and important areas of research, improving how tomorrow’s patients receive care,” says Dr. Richard Reznick, Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences.

The new chair was made possible by a $2.5 million donation from Oshawa residents Hak-Ming Chiu and Deborah Chiu. Lakeridge Health CEO Kevin Empey encouraged Dr. Chiu, a medical oncologist at Lakeridge Health, and Deborah Chiu, a former emergency room nurse, to collaborate with Queen’s to create the position. Queen’s and Lakeridge Health have a long-standing partnership, with Queen’s offering a family medicine residency program in Oshawa, as well as ongoing plans for an integrated clerkship.

“There are great expectations for the academic chair over the years, into the future and long after us,” Dr. Chiu says.

The Gilchrist Chair is named in honour of Gillian Gilchrist. Dr. Gilchrist was the medical director of the palliative care team at Oshawa General Hospital (now known as Lakeridge Health Oshawa) from its creation in 1981 until her retirement in the mid 90s. A pioneer in providing palliative hospice care in Durham Region, she was integral in recruiting clinicians and volunteers to the field and nurtured its development and fostered its growth in the community.

A team has been formed to identify possible candidates for the chair position. More information will be made available once a decision is made and a successful candidate is chosen.