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WORLD GASTROENTEROLOGY NEWS FEBRUARY 2019
Editorial | Gastro 2018 | WDHD News | WGO & WGOF News | WGO Global Guidelines | Calendar of Events
Dr. Richard N. Fedorak, 1955-2018
Richard Hunt, FRCP, FRCPEd, FRCP(C), AGAF, MACG, MWGO
Emeritus Professor, Division of G astroenterology Department of Medicine
Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute
McMaster University Health Science Centre
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Canadian gastroenterology and the
World Gastroenterology Organisation
lost an outstanding academic leader,
clinician, researcher and teacher when
Richard Fedorak passed away on 8
November 2018 in Edmonton.
Richard was born on 28 May
1955 in Edmonton, Alberta, the
first of three sons of Walter and Ann
Fedorak. A talented scholar, Richard
was interested in the sciences from an
early age and set his sights on medicine
in high school. He graduated
from the University of Alberta with
a Bachelor of Medical Science with
Distinction in 1976 and his Medical
Degree with First Class Honours in
1978. He took his internship at the
University of Western Ontario followed
by a medicine residency at the
University of Toronto before he undertook
a gastroenterology fellowship
at the University of Chicago. This was
followed by research fellowships at the
University of Chicago and Columbia
University in New York.
On returning to Edmonton in
1986, Richard joined the medical staff
at the University of Alberta Hospital
and Cross Cancer Institute
and his remarkable
medical career developed
rapidly. He was promoted
to Professor of
Medicine in 1996 and
served in key administrative
roles including
Division Director
of Gastroenterology
(1996-2006), Director
of the Northern Alberta
Clinical Trials and Research
Dr. Richard N. Fedorak
Centre (2005-2015), Associate
Vice-President Research, University
of Alberta (2010-2013), Interim
Dean (2015-2016), and Dean of the
Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry in
October 2016.
During his time as Chief of the
Division of Gastroenterology, Richard
created the Allan H. Owen Endoscopy
Suite at the University of Alberta
Hospital and established the Zeidler
Gastrointestinal Health Centre. This
became a world-class clinical and
research unit attracting outstanding
gastroenterologists and scientists
from around the world and taking
the Division of Gastroenterology to
one of the largest in Canada. Richard
successfully obtained a $21 million
research award to establish the Centre
of Excellence in Gastrointestinal Inflammation
and Immunity Research.
Outside of Edmonton, Richard
held many leadership positions in
Canada, importantly
as President of the
Canadian Association
of Gastroenterology
(CAG) from 1999-
2000. He went on
to lead the successful
Canadian bid for the
13th World Congress
of Gastroenterology,
held in Montreal in
2005, of which he was
President. He was also
Chair of the WGO Research Committee
and among a busy agenda
initiated the important Research
Methodology Project.
Richard also served as President of
the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation
(CDHF) from 2007-2018,
growing the organization and helping
its website to become the go-to location
for Canadian patients seeking
advice on their digestive health. His
infectious enthusiasm for the Ride
Cycling Program and other fundraising
challenges have attracted wide
support for the CDHF.
Richard was an outstanding clinician
with a sensitive and compassionate
approach to his patients. He had
a life-long interest in IBD and was a
strong patient advocate who did all he
could to achieve a normal life for his
patients. His tireless approach to his
work might find him rounding with
in-patients late in the day or running
He went on to lead the
successful Canadian bid for
the 13th World Congress of
Gastroenterology, held in
Montreal in 2005, of which
he was President.