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» Go to news mainU of Ottawa alumni award honours Dalhousie's Dr. Noni MacDonald
As May convocation ceremonies kick-off across the country, universities are paying tribute to the great accomplishments of their students, faculty, and alumni.
The University of Ottawa’s Alumni Week recently honoured some of its own graduates with awards of excellence. Among the honourees was Dr. Noni MacDonald, who received the award for community service.
“I couldn’t imagine anyone passing up the chance to help others,” Dr. MacDonald said of her award, which recognizes the contributions her research has made in developing countries.
In Belize, Dr. MacDonald, with Dalhousie colleague Dr. Michael Graven, helped develop a health information system protocol, which caused the hospitalization rate in the country to drop. She’s also partnered with health care professionals in East Africa through the MicroResearch program she co-directs with Dalhousie’s Dr Robert Bortolussi. It provides local physicians the funding and research support to find solutions for health problems faced by their communities.
“These programs are aimed at improving health outcomes—especially in children and mothers. They’re saving lives on a community scale.”
Dr. MacDonald’s motivation comes from knowing that her work has longevity and lasting impact. Projects like those in Belize and East Africa train health professionals to ask questions in a context that will solve their problems.
“We want them to question if what they’re doing is the best practice, and can they do it better.”
Dr. MacDonald said her reaction to the award was a mix of genuine surprise and being deeply honoured. But community service, as she puts it, is just part of who she is.
“As physicians, this is part of who we are and what we believe in. Health depends on far more than health care. Communities can make such a difference in outcomes.”
Dr. Noni MacDonald is a pediatric disease specialist at the IWK Health Centre and professor at Dalhousie Medical School. She works with the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology and the World Health Organization as a vaccine specialist.