You are hereArchive - Aug 12, 2009
Archive - Aug 12, 2009
Tommy Douglas, Canada's father of Medicare, would import foreign doctors to make his plan work
(quote)
"My friends, watch out for the little fellow with an idea." - Tommy Douglas 1961
Tommy Douglas - for introducing free healthcare to Canada - was voted "The Greatest Canadian" of all time. He was hospitalized at the age of 10. Due to a bone infection suffered four years earlier, Douglas's knee required several operations. Without the money to pay for a specialist, Tommy Douglas’ parents were told that the only option was to amputate their son's leg before the infection spread to the rest of his body. But before that could happen, a visiting surgeon offered to operate on Douglas for free, as long as his students were allowed to attend. The surgery saved Douglas's leg - quite possibly his life - and would serve as his inspiration for his dream of universally accessible medical care.
