Dr Léonard Lapointe, Nominated for an Ontario 2002 Senior Achievement Award

He is a compassionate cardiologist with a deep sense of duty, a large dose of humor and enough energy to shame the youngest among us. At 73 years young, Dr Léonard Lapointe, is a tireless worker dedicated to serve our hospital clientèle and a passionate promoter of heart health.

Early in the year 1995, Dr Lapointe noticed that his clientèle, made up mainly of patients with various cardiac diseases and coronary incidents, had to drive over 2 hours back and forth, to the Ottawa University Heart Institute, to attend the educational classes needed to live a better life under their new physical condition.

Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, those who needed it the most could not attend, and very few among the 350 new cardiac patients he treated annually, could benefit from the educational support needed to improve their condition.

According to studies done in the Province of Ontario, the average number of death by cardiac diseases is 32% higher in the Counties of Prescott-Russell than the provincial average.

Dr Lapointe was 67 years old in 1996, when he decided to set-up a Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation Program to help the hundreds of cardiac patients of our area. He worked closely with a multidisciplinary team, made up of a pharmacist, dietitian, physiotherapist, nurse, psychologist and technician to develop the educational components of the program.

Assisted by his committee, he identified and purchased the necessary pieces of equipment and found the location for the classes. He also raised funds to ensure the sound operation of the project and its continuity. On February 7, 1997, after a year of efforts, the program welcomes its first cardiac patients and their next-of-kins. All the participants greatly appreciate the various sessions which allow them to understand their disease and modify their lifestyle.

A new component is then added. A physical rehab program with a walking track is set-up in the halls of the hospital.

The addition is important as residents living away from the great urban centers, also need to benefit from the education or the exercise classes their condition warrants.

Today, five years later, the program is still in place, with mostly all the same caregivers it started with.

Tireless worker, our cardiologist is one of those precious doctors who are still serving their clientèle 7 days a week. One can often see him come back to the hospital during the evening or on Saturdays and Sundays because "a cardiac" needs to be seen or reassured.

A portion of his time is also spent on volunteer activities. Dr Lapointe voluntarily accepts to make presentations or educational sessions on evenings or special days for the benefit of residents of the area, either at the request of the Eastern Ontario Health Unit or the Healthy Rhythm Coalition.

Our cardiologist could have settled for the regular working hours of his pratice in cardiology at the Hawkesbury & District General Hospital. Instead, he preferred to give more, much more, for the well-being of his numerous clientèle.

This is the reason why at 73 years old, Dr. Léonard Lapointe deserves to receive an Ontario Senior Achievement Award.