Known as the "Father of Family Medicine", he has been instrumental in its evolution as a vital force in Canada's health care system. He was ahead of his time in advocating patient-centred care by encouraging treatment of the whole person and emphasizing the difference between disease and illness. A long-time faculty member at the University of Western Ontario, he is highly regarded by his peers worldwide as an academic and a clinician, who now guides other practitioners in the area of palliative care.