Fonds RBSC-ARC-1827 - Joan Ford fonds

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Joan Ford fonds

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  • Textual record
  • Photographic material
  • Object

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Fonds

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RBSC-ARC-1827

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Physical description

39 cm of textual records and other materials

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Name of creator

(1926-2021)

Biographical history

Dr. Joan Ford was born in Newcastle, England on November 4, 1925 and began her medical training during World War II. She graduated from Sheffield University in 1948 with a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery degrees. In 1950, she received a Diploma in Obstetrics from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. In 1953, she also received a Diploma in Child Health. She worked at various hospitals in England until emigrating to Canada in 1953.

From 1954-1989, she practiced at her own general medicine office in Burnaby, where she would see upwards of 25 patients per day and even made house calls to remote northern communities for patients. Her practice became so busy that she eventually added three partners to keep up with demand. She also worked at the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster for 40 years and was the first (and only for a period of time) female physician.

She dedicated over 20 years of her life to the Tibetan Refugee Aid Society (TRAS), later renamed to the Trans-Himalayan Aid Society. In 1979, through her work at Save the Children, she met Sir Edmund Hillary where she offered her medical services to the remote Kunde Hospital in Nepal should there be a need. The following July in 1980, Hillary would reach out to Dr. Ford to see if she would be able to temporarily fill a vacancy for eight weeks between October-December 1980. She gladly accepted the opportunity then began the arduous trek from Burnaby to Kunde, a journey that would involve several plane rides, and up to eight days of hiking up 3,840 metres (12,500 feet) above sea level to the small hospital she would run under the support of the Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation. At the Kunde Hospital she provided basic to advanced medical care to the local villagers and trekkers of Mount Everest from all over the world. Dr. Ford would return to Nepal six more times from 1980-1989 for various stays at Kunde Hospital to care for the Sherpa peoples. Dr. Ford was Director of TRAS from 1986 until she served as President in 1991. Dr. Ford was also the Director of the Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation from 1988-1991; she is currently a Honourary Life Member.

In additional to her work in Nepal, Dr. Ford has spent time volunteering her medical expertise in two other international countries, Dominica and Bangladesh. Dr. Ford worked on the West Indies island of Dominica in 1967 and 1969 as part of a joint plan between Canadian Oversees Medical Aid, Canadian Executive Service Overseas, and the Canadian Medical Association. There she treated children afflicted with skin diseases, protein deficiencies, and other severe medical problems. In 1991, Dr. Ford was a member of the emergency medical team sponsored by the Christian Children’s Fund and spent a month in Bangladesh following a devastating cyclone caring for the Moslem people.

Dr. Ford has been a member in various capacities at numerous professional organizations throughout her career. She was a member of the Save the Children fund for over 35 years and has twice served as President of the B.C. Save the Children Fund board. She was the Director of this chapter from 1960-1990. Dr. Ford has served as the B.C. Branch President of the Federation of Medical Women of Canada and was the National President in 1973 where she fought for equal pay for female physicians.

Throughout her lifetime, she has received numerous awards and recognitions for her work in and outside of the medical field. The highest honour she received was in 1991 when she was appointed as an officer in the Order of Canada for her work in the global health community. She has also been honoured with the David Bachop Gold Medal presented by the B.C. Medical Association in 1991.

Dr. Ford died peacefully on October 31, 2021 in Vancouver.

Custodial history

Records were in the custody of Dr. Ford’s niece, Cicely Bryce, prior to their transfer to Rare Books and Special Collections.

Scope and content

The fonds consists records relating to Dr. Joan Ford’s medical career and personal life, with records including handwritten notes, letters and correspondence, newspapers, photographs, official degrees and awards, administrative reports, and a coin. Files often contain multiple record types within them. Dr. Ford dedicated her medical career to helping those in need, including traveling to Nepal, Dominica, and Bangladesh all while managing her own medical practice in Burnaby. She has served in various capacities on numerous boards and professional organizations including the Federation of Medical Women of Canada, Save the Children, the Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation, and the Trans-Himalayan Aid Society. She has received numerous awards and recognitions in her lifetime, but for her dedication to the global health community, she was appointed as an officer in the Order of Canada. Her personal interests included her family, Canadian history, and nature.

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No original order, records arranged by archivist

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Further accruals of personal journals from Dr. Ford are expected at a later date.

Physical description

Includes 21 photographs, 1 coin

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Fonds arranged and described by Allison Gale in December 2021.

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