Three BC doctors receive Order of British Columbia
The Order of British Columbia is an official part of the Canadian Honours System and recognizes those who have dedicated themselves to improving the lives of their fellow citizens in the province. This year three BC physicians were presented with the honor: Drs Finley Armanious, Paula Gordon, and Charles H. Scudamore.
Dr Finley Armanious, who has worked in intensive care at Vernon Jubilee Hospital for more than 30 years, was recognized for his care and compassion in the community, as well as for his many professional accomplishments.
Now retired, Dr Armanious continues to assist colleagues by consulting on intensive care cases, and his vision was key in the building of the new intensive care unit and the intensive and cardiac care floor of the Polson Tower at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. He continues to work with the local hospital foundation and participate in other fundraising initiatives, including the Dr Peter Armanious Walk and Run organized in honor of his son, who passed away in a car accident in 1992. The event raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for cardiac care at Vernon Jubilee Hospital.
Dr Paula Gordon is recognized as one of Canada’s leading experts in breast cancer detection and diagnosis, and is a world expert in the field. Her work as an advocate for breast cancer screening and early detection has helped lead to a marked decline in breast cancer deaths. Dr Gordon was a pioneer in the use of ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsies, a technique that reduced the need for surgery by using a small needle and local anesthesia.
Throughout her career Dr Gordon has been a teacher, a respected researcher, and a great clinician. She was instrumental in supporting the development of the mammography screening program in British Columbia and establishing the Breast Health Fellowship at BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre.
Dr Gordon has worked with the BC Women’s Foundation and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation to raise funds for the Sadie Diamond Breast Imaging Centre, and she served for several years as a director of the Canucks for Kids Fund. She has also won a Killam Teaching Award from UBC, and she was awarded a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.
Dr Charles H. Scudamore is a leading surgical expert in liver transplantation and hepatobiliary oncology and trauma. He works as a staff surgeon at Vancouver General Hospital and BC Children’s Hospital, serves as the surgical director of the BC Liver Transplant Program, developed Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery at UBC, and is the incoming president of the North Pacific Surgical Association. He is recognized as a respected researcher, teacher, and physician.
Dr Scudamore is an expert on the early recognition of pancreatic cancer and advanced colorectal metastases to the liver. His work has led to an increase in the number of liver transplants performed in British Columbia, bringing the number to 65 in 2012, up from 56 in 2011. His accomplishments include the creation and support of the British Columbia Pancreatic Research Network.
Dr Scudamore also won a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.
Congratulations to Drs Armanious, Gordon, and Scudamore on receiving the Order of British Columbia.