Every year, we ask patients to tell us why their own family doctor deserves to be recognized with a BCCFP My Family Doctor Award. The stories on this page come from some of the previous award nominations. To find out how you can nominate your own doctor for an award, please visit our My Family Doctor Award page. Submissions for this year are due by March 31, 2022.
Family doctors in the words of their patients
“He has not only seen us through bumps and bruises, lumps and ultrasounds, X rays and casts, tears and worries, he has also supported us through aging parents and Alzheimer’s.”
He has been our family doctor for the past 12 years. During this time, he has established an amazing rapport with my girls and gained my upmost respect. He is calm , thorough and respectful. He has always instilled in me, that my mama instinct is to be valued and trusted. He stood by me during every child hood illness that came our way and cheered me on through their puberty woes! He approaches everyone is such a non judgemental way that he makes everything OK. He has not only seen us through bumps and bruises, lumps and ultrasounds, X rays and casts, tears and worries, he has also supported us through aging parents and Alzheimer’s. He gives his patients his upmost attention. He never is in a hurry when you see him. He takes the time to check in, to ask questions, to answer questions…to listen.
“She has provided holistic care, showing me that addiction is just one part of my overall health…”
Although she has only been my doctor for the last three years, her approach to my overall health has been remarkable. I have been an opiate addict for the last 40 years. Most doctors that I’ve had in that time only really dealt with addiction issues such as methadone prescriptions. She has provided holistic care, showing me that addiction is just one part of my overall health and I am now treated from head to toe mind and body. This has changed my entire outlook and I now take all health issues into consideration. I have also worked with her on a couple of her groundbreaking community research projects. So not only does she heal us individually but also tries to keep the whole community healthy. Most if not all her patients are from the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver and most of us not only have addiction issues but many have HIV and HCV and mental health problems. This just seems to make her want to work even harder for all our benefits.
“He has always been respectful of our individual needs and preferences, which for all of us has included avoiding medications whenever possible.”
My doctor has been treating my 37 year old son and I since my son was a small child, more than 30 years. Along the way, he took both my parents under his care, from when they moved into my community until their passing. He has always been respectful of our individual needs and preferences, which for all of us has included avoiding medications whenever possible. He is such a great diagnostician, old fashioned I’d say, as he still starts each office visit with observation and excellent listening skills as he asks astute questions. One thing I have always appreciated about him is the personal touch.
“She is wonderful about making sure I have all the information and supports to be able to manage all of his care at home.”
She has willingly and cheerfully undertaken the challenging task of being my son’s family doctor. He is blind, spastic quadriplegic, and immobile. She gives him excellent and thorough medical care and will even make a house call when necessary if he is too ill to be taken to the office or ER. She undertakes all needed procedures and tests in a timely and competent manner. She is wonderful about making sure I have all the information and supports to be able to manage all of his care at home. Thanks to her, he has not had to be hospitalized since 1990. We are incredibly fortunate to have connected with her as our family doctor!