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| Many happy returns, Dr. Goldbloom. | ||
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At 80, Dr. Goldbloom (LLD'00) is showing no sign of slowing down. He is the fifth Chancellor of Dalhousie University, a Professor of Pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine and a practicing pediatrician at the IWK Health Centre. His remarkable CV is proof of his exceptional talent and dedication.
Dr. Goldbloom's life has been filled with honours and achievements including his appointment as Head of Pediatrics at Dalhousie University and the first Physician-in-Chief and Director of Research at the IWK. He received the Queen's Jubilee Medal in 1978, was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1987 and received the Confederation Medal in 1993. In 1997, he received the Ross Award, the highest honour of the Canadian Pediatric Society. The Canadian Medical Association recognized his achievements in 1999 with the F.N.G. Starr Award, considered the 'Victoria Cross' of Canadian Medicine. His CV also lists numerous health task forces and fundraising committees that he has chaired, medical textbooks he has written and 76 visiting or distinguished lectureships at institutions such as Oxford and the Mayo Clinic.
In addition to his unparalleled professional dedication, he has an exceptional commitment to his community; some might even regard 'volunteerism' as Dr. Goldbloom's second career. That is evidenced by the countless volunteer hours he contributes to numerous organizations. They include Symphony Nova Scotia (Honorary Director), the QEII Fund for Research in Diseases in Children (Trustee), and the Killam Awards Committee for Canada Council. He served as Chair of the Prix d'Excellence en RecherchŽ PŽdiatrique in Montreal, and for more than a decade, he has been Chair of the Rhodes Scholarship Committee for the Maritimes.
A humble man, Dr. Goldbloom is consistently surprised by awards or accolades that come his way. People who know him speak fondly of him in all aspects of his life. He dresses impeccably, never raises his voice and credits everyone else for any success. He is characterized as a compassionate pediatrician, well-known for his constant optimism, charm, sense of humor and great story-telling.
The son of a prominent pediatrician himself, Dr. Goldbloom takes great pride in is his family. His three children Alan (Pediatrician), Barbara (Education Consultant) and David (Psychiatrist), are successful physicians and his granddaughter, Ellen Goldbloom graduated in May 2004 from Dalhousie's Medical School. Ellen is pursuing post-graduate work in pediatrics, marking a fourth generation Goldbloom pediatrician in Canada.
Dr. Goldbloom has a positive impact on everyone he meets and on every organization with which he is affiliated. He has taught generations of doctors to put children and families first, and played a significant role in shaping the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University. His legacy will continue for many decades to come, thanks in part to this new endowment that will be used annually to support at least one entrance scholarship to a student enrolled in the Doctor of Medicine degree program at Dalhousie University.