The University of Alberta banner is flying at half-mast from May 27–29, 2022 in remembrance of Dr. Neil Duncan, Professor Emeritus, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.
Dr. Duncan was the first pediatric cardiologist in Alberta and a pioneer, not only in cardiology, but also in advocacy and the founding of the Stollery Children's Hospital. Dr. Duncan was born in Edmonton in 1925 and graduated from the University of Alberta medical school in 1949. He pursued further pediatric cardiology training in Toronto and Chicago and then returned in 1953 to practice at the Baker Clinic.
The following year, Dr. Bob Fraser and Dr. Joe Dvorkin, adult cardiologists at the University of Alberta Hospital, began developing a cardiac catheterization lab in conjunction with the cardiac surgeon John Callaghan. Since many of the patients were pediatric, they invited Dr. Duncan to join them and thus began his career in pediatric cardiology.
He cared immensely about children and their families and he noted that there were pediatric hospital beds scattered across the city in five general hospitals staffed and equipped to deal primarily with adult patients. So he formed the Association for a Children’s Hospital in the North and helped to create the Northern Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation (now the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation) to spearhead a campaign for a children's hospital in northern Alberta. These efforts led to what we know today as The Stollery Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Duncan's colleagues, Dr. Yashu Coe and Dr. Michal Kantoch, remember him fondly as a person of many talents, including wood carving. He was also incredibly well respected and very generous. He hosted an event to celebrate physicians and staff at his home every summer, and a Christmas dinner every winter. Dr. Duncan will be immensely missed. We are extremely saddened by his passing and send our deepest condolences to his family.
For information about lowering the University of Alberta banner, visit the In Memoriam webpage.