Beloved by patients, respected by colleagues and an inspiring mentor to countless students.
Dr. John Sangster, MD'67, MClSci'84, is remembered for his far-reaching impact and the many lives he touched throughout his career in family medicine at Western.
His passion for patient-centered care, research-based practice and the education of future physicians remained beyond his retirement in 2013, and until his death in 2022.
The atrium of the Western Centre for Public Health and Family Medicine has been named in honour of Dr. John Sangster, to recognize his generous philanthropy and the contributions he made to family medicine. (Frank Neufeld)
Now, through his expressed wish to leave a significant gift to the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, his legacy for modelling excellence in family medicine lives on.
Sangster's wife, Toula Gerace, BScN'75, MSc'95 said it was an honour to fulfill her husband's intentions.
"John very much saw the importance of giving back. And he was a diehard Mustang, purple and proud,' from the time he enrolled as an undergraduate to his untimely, tragic death," Gerace said. "This gift comes from his sense of pride as a graduate, his tremendous loyalty to Western and his understanding of the need for monetary contributions."
The donation has been directed to support future infrastructure and the highest priority needs of medical students at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry.
John Yoo, dean of Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, expressed appreciation for Sangster's investment in "budding doctors." He recalled Sangster as a "living emblem of the values of family medicine."
"Dr. John Sangster was not only a superb physician and colleague, but he was also a revered educator and mentor for generations of medical students and residents," Yoo said. "We are grateful to his family for preserving John's legacy of excellence in the training and education of future physicians."
Family, friends and colleagues recently gathered at the Western Centre for Public Health and Family Medicine, where the Dr. John F. Sangster Atrium was named to recognize Sangster's generosity and the contributions he made at Western, in the community and beyond.
Dr. John Sangster's family recently gathered with Sangster's friends and colleagues for the naming of the Dr. John F. Sangster Atrium in the Western Centre for Public Health and Family Medicine. Front (L to R): Michelle Sangster Bouck, Kaia Sangster, Toula Gerace and Sandra (Sangster) Hinton. Back (L to R): Gary Bouck, Dr. Don Sangster and Jim Hinton. (Frank Neufeld)
From Western student to award-winning physician, educator
Born in London, Ont., Sangster earned his MD in 1967, just as Western began offering specialized family medicine training, one of only two such programs in Canada.
Sangster embraced the opportunity, becoming one of the first graduates of the family medicine residency program in 1970.
He then launched an illustrious career, becoming a highly respected clinician, known for his positivity, compassion and sense of humour - qualities befitting of the Family Physician of the Year Award he later received from the Ontario College of Family Physicians.
In 1978, Sangster became a full-time clinical academic physician in Western's department of family medicine, practicing at the Byron Family Medical Centre, where he served as medical director for 18 years.
Schulich professor Dr. Sonny Cejic feels fortunate to have been mentored by Sangster.
"John cared deeply for his patients," Cejic said. "No matter how busy he was, he always had the time to listen and help them through their medical issues and life challenges. As a leader, he encouraged teamwork, taught collaboration skills and encouraged students to make connections and engage in leadership themselves."
Sangster saw potential in Cejic, who succeeded him as director of the Byron clinic.
"John led me to get involved in medicine in ways I couldn't have foreseen. He fostered my passion for family practice because his own passion for it was infectious. John had this effect on people wherever he went. He practiced, taught and led with integrity, compassion and resilience and fostered those qualities in other people."
As an exemplary educator, Sangster earned the Western Family Medicine Dr. Ian McWhinney Teaching Award, the Western University Dean's Award of Excellence in Education and a spot on the University Students' Council Teaching Honour Roll of Excellence.
His commitment to medical education extended to serving as a committee member, chair and leader of the Academic Medical Organization of Southwestern Ontario.
Innovator and champion of change' as director of graduate studies
Sangster kept pace with his own training and education, completing a master of clinical science degree in family medicine (MClSc) at Western in 1984. Just two years later, he was appointed director of the graduate studies program.
Professor Judith Brown, current chair of the MClSc and PhD programs in family medicine, said Sangster stood out in the role as "an innovator and champion of change" during a critical time.
By the early 90s, Sangster could see how the global economic crisis was impeding international and local physicians' ability to advance their medical education in person. In response, he became an early proponent of distance learning.
Though this meant a significant change in delivering the program, Sangster knew it was imperative in the face of declining enrollment.
"The transition to online learning was both bold and innovative in the early nineties, but with boundless energy and unwavering commitment, Dr. Sangster guided the faculty into the new world of distance education," Brown said. "At the same time, he honoured the tradition of meeting in person and included a two-week on-site mandatory session where students would engage in small groups and face-to-face meetings to bond and build relationships."
Brown said the move to online learning sustained the program's international stature.
"Because of John's brave and outstanding leadership, students from around the world continued to enroll in the graduate program. Today our alumni include leaders in Brazil, Japan, Nigeria, Singapore and India, raising the critical role of family medicine in their respective healthcare systems."
Impacting family medicine for generations to come
Prior to his final gift, Sangster was already an established donor to Western.
In 2017, he created the J.F. Sangster Graduate Studies Family Medicine Award, with a vision to preserve comprehensive family medicine in clinical practice and support research within the graduate studies program. He also seeded and fundraised for other awards, including the Dr. Dana Winterburn Memorial Award and the Alpha Kappa Kappa Beta Kappa award.
"John believed in making concrete contributions to help students to reach their goals because of the impact it would have on society for generations to come," Gerace said.
His daily interactions left a similar imprint.
"He was such an expert in what he did, but in a very down-to-earth way," Gerace said. "He treated everyone with such respect, whether they were fellow physicians, nurses, students or patients. To this day, I run into patients and they tell me how much they miss him.
"It's heartwarming to hear him remembered that way because it speaks to the mark he made, the legacy he leaves."
