Alberta doctors making a difference

Many Hands™ archive

Begun eight years ago as an initiative of Dr. Linda Slocombe (AMA President, 2011-12), Many Hands™ recognized and celebrated the ways in which AMA member physicians give back, not only to the communities they live in, but to communities and populations around the world, through volunteer work.

Since the start of the Many Hands™ program, we’ve profiled many physicians and their projects. In December 2017, our last Many Hands™ profile focused on Dr. Kerri Treherne and her continuous stream of community volunteer undertakings that make Calgary a better place to live. From the Bow to Bluff project (creating attractive, usable public space along the Sunnyside LRT line); to flood emergency planning and relief efforts; and a community safety initiative to address drug use and crime, Dr. Treherne demonstrated her love of community and people.

As with some of our earliest profiles, Many Hands™ often showcased Alberta physicians engaged in international volunteer efforts, such as Dr. Alexander H.G. Paterson and his involvement with the Ateneo de Zamboanga Medical School on the Philippines Island of Mindanao; Dr. Kim Solez, a U of A professor in laboratory medicine and pathology who was inspired by the need for rural physicians in Nepal; and Dr. Jean Francois Lemay, who helped Haiti rebuild its medical community through the development of a surgical course for four universities.

You can read these Many Hands™ stories and more by clicking the images below.