Jun 27, 2016 - âDr. Singh left his mark, both in patient care and in medical administration,â said Erwin Malzer, Int
For Immediate Release
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June 27, 2016
Royal Inland Hospital celebrates neurosurgery pioneer Dr. Gur Singh KAMLOOPS – Dr. Gur Singh’s unwavering commitment to patient care will live on through the naming of a high-observation room dedicated to neurosurgery patients at Royal Inland Hospital (RIH). The late Kamloops neurosurgeon was honoured today for his nearly 50 years of serving patients at Royal Inland, and throughout the Interior. “Dr. Gur Singh was a neurosurgery pioneer in the B.C. Interior, and was one of Kamloops’ most prominent physicians before we lost him last year,” said Health Minister Terry Lake. “It is most fitting that his memory be enshrined within the post-operative unit, where he spent so much time caring for patients during a half-century of service to Royal Inland Hospital.” “With today’s ceremony, we mark the lasting memory of a leader, a groundbreaker and a mentor to many,” said Todd Stone, MLA for Kamloops-South Thompson. “The legacy of Dr. Gur Singh lives on in Royal Inland Hospital, and in our hearts and minds.” “Dr. Singh left his mark, both in patient care and in medical administration,” said Erwin Malzer, Interior Health Board Chair. “We at Interior Health are grateful for his service, and are pleased to name the neurosurgery high-observation room on 6 South in his honour.” Dr. Singh died at RIH on March 24, 2015, after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He was 78. He lived a full life, not the least of which included nearly 50 years of service at the Kamloops hospital, including a turn as Chief of Staff, retiring in 2014. He became the first neurosurgeon in the B.C. Interior after moving to Kamloops in 1967, and established RIH’s neurosurgery program. He performed the first craniotomy in the south and central interior that year, and the first lumbar discectomy at RIH in 1968. He went on to perform thousands of procedures in the years that followed. “Dr. Singh was a pioneer in the medical community for his contributions to neurosurgery,” said Dr. Simon Treissman, longtime colleague and Chief of Staff at Royal Inland Hospital. “He also was passionate about leadership, and broke ground there as well by serving as the first president of Sikh origin for the B.C. Medical Association, which we now know as Doctors of BC. I am proud to have worked alongside him at RIH.” Perhaps Dr. Singh is best known for what he did away from the hospital. He was an active philanthropist, lending his name and his passion for those affected by brain injury to the annual Gur Singh Invitational Golf Tournament. The event has raised more than $1 million for the Kamloops Brain Injury Association in support of helping brain-injured survivors live to their full potential and as contributing members of society. “I know my Dad would be humbled by this honour. He was incredibly committed to his work at RIH and to the RIH community,” said Arjun Singh, Dr. Singh’s son and a Councillor for the City of Kamloops. “He spent several years, after he first settled in Kamloops, working 24 hours, seven days a week on call. This was challenging for him and his family but Dad truly believed in the work he was doing. He was a huge advocate for neurosurgical services in Kamloops and for improved health care in general. Our family www.interiorhealth.ca
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would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Interior Health for celebrating Dad’s life and commitment to patient care.” Two plaques were unveiled today at Royal Inland Hospital to commemorate Dr. Singh’s contributions to the hospital. They will be mounted by the neurosurgery room in the high-observation area of RIH’s 6 South post-operative unit. Interior Health is committed to promoting healthy lifestyles and providing a wide range of quality health-care services to more than 750,000 people living across B.C.’s vast interior. For more information, visit www.interiorhealth.ca, follow us on Twitter @Interior_Health, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/InteriorHealth. - 30 Photo caption: Two plaques were unveiled today at Royal Inland Hospital to commemorate the life and career of Dr. Gur Singh, neurosurgery pioneer and former Chief of Staff.
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