Update on the Dr. Dana Winterburn Memorial Fund

Monday, December 10, 2012

The Department of Family Medicine at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, would like to thank each and every person who gave generously to the Dr. Dana Winterburn Memorial Fund. Dana was an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine and a beloved doctor at the Byron Family Medical Centre, who was tragically killed in a car accident on Tuesday, April 10th 2012.

We would like to share that the fund established in Dana's memory now sits at $19,181.00. Our goal is to raise an additional $7,000 by December 31st of this year to endow this award at Foundation Western. Dana's family has decided to give this award to an aboriginal student who wishes to pursue Family Medicine or a student who has an interest in working with aboriginal or indigenous communities. Please see below for a full description:

Dr. Dana Winterburn Memorial Award

Awarded annually to a student in Year 4 of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program based on the candidate's interest in Family Medicine as well as their interest in working with aboriginal or indigenous communities in a career that includes advancing Aboriginal health issues and/or serving aboriginal communities. Preference will be given to a student who self-identifies as having Aboriginal/Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit or Metis ancestry. A one-page statement outlining the candidate's interest and experience working with aboriginal communities must be submitted to the Department of Family Medicine. The student will be selected by a scholarship committee in the Department of Family Medicine. If during any year, no suitable candidate is available, then an award will not be made. This award was established by family and friends to honour Dr. Dana Winterburn.

Dr. Winterburn was a beloved doctor at the Byron Family Medical Centre and an outstanding faculty member in the Department of Family Medicine. She was also the first aboriginal graduate the Doctor of Medicine program at the University of Alberta. Prior to joining the Department of Family Medicine, she served as a family physician at the Middlesex London Health Unit, at the North Lambton Community Health Centre serving the Kettle Point First Nation, at the London Psychiatric Hospital, and at Student Health Services at Western. She passed away unexpectedly in 2012.

Anyone who wishes to make a donation to this fund can do so by clicking on this link:

Dr. Dana S. Winterburn Memorial Scholarship Fund or by contacting Abbey Baran in the Alumni and Development Office at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry: 519.661.2111 x 24288 abbey.baran@uwo.ca.