In Memoriam: Wayne Elford, Cumming School of Medicine

The Cumming School of Medicine is mourning the passing of Dr. Robert ‘Wayne’ Elford, MD, one of Calgary’s first residents in what is today known as Family Medicine. He passed away on Sept. 27 at age 80.

Elford was a part-time lecturer in 1970 with the Division of Family Practice (later the Department of Family Medicine), advancing to assistant professor in 1975 and associate professor in 1978. From 1978 to 1985, he was director, Department of Family Medicine at the Calgary General Hospital.

He retired in 1997, a professor in the Department of Family Medicine, transitioning to Professor Emeritus in Family Medicine. During his time at the university, Elford was instrumental in the development of the Alberta Primary Care Research Unit and what was then called the CUPS Community Health Centre, a social services agency working with vulnerable populations in downtown Calgary. Through his career, he was also executive director of the Evangelical Medical Aid Society and the Christian Medical Dental Society of Canada.

A man of deep faith, Elford was a consultant and adviser to many international development agencies and global missions. He was a valued negotiator and mediator for community groups, churches, boards, and mission hospitals he served. Elford played a key role in the curriculum development for a Nepalese physician training program and co-founded CanMedSend, a national charitable organization that financially supports recent medical and dental graduates who to commit to mission service.

Those wishing to honour Elford’s life, may contribute a donation to CanMedSend through the organization’s website www.canmedsendfoundation.com.

For more on Elford’s life, please read his obituary:

https://calgaryherald.remembering.ca/obituary/robert-elford-1086402689

 

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