Francis John Blatherwick Explained

Dr. Francis John Blatherwick, CM, OBC, CD, FRCP(C) (born September 11, 1944) was one of Canada's trailblazing leaders in public health and was the longest-serving Medical officer of health in Canada when he retired in 2007.

Entry into public health

Prior to coming to Vancouver, he was the Medical Health Officer in the Simon Fraser Health Unit for nine years. He received his MD from the University of Alberta in 1969. He then started in public health when he left a residency in Internal Medicine at Vancouver General Hospital in 1971 to set up the Pine Street Youth Clinic. He received his Diploma in Public Health at the University of Toronto in 1975 and completed his Fellowship in Public Health at University of British Columbia in 1976.^[1]

Public health leadership

Dr. Blatherwick served as the Medical Health Officer or Chief Medical Health Officer in Vancouver, British Columbia from 1984 to 2007. As the medical health officer for the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, he was instrumental in implementing a number of important programs, particularly those involving youth, people with disabilities, individuals living with AIDS, combating drug addictions, and the initiative to ban smoking in the workplace.^[2]

Dr. Blatherwick was adept at media relations and gained recognition for expressing independent, authoritative views on contentious health matters, including his activism during the AIDS pandemic. In the mid-1980s, Premier Bill Vander Zalm publicly threatened to dismiss him – twice – due to his advocacy for the inclusion of condoms and sex education in schools.^[3] In September 1997, Dr. Blatherwick declared a public health emergency in the Downtown Eastside due to the escalating rate of HIV infections, largely attributed to the high rates of injection drug use.^[4] Insite, the first legal supervised safe injection site in North America, opened during his tenure.^{[5] [6]}

He also led Vancouver's public health response to the 2003 SARS epidemic.^[7]

Armed forces

Blatherwick served in the Canadian Forces reserves for 39 years, retiring in 2000 with the rank of Commanderand the position of Senior Naval Reserve Medical Advisor. He served in the Air Force, Army, and the Naval reserves, and was Canada's representative to the NATO Reserve Medical Officers’ Congress from 1989 to 1995.^[8]

He is currently the Honorary Colonel for 12 (Vancouver) Field Ambulance (2006 to 2012).^[9]

Health-related publications

• Vancouver's Needle Exchange Program, By John Bardsley, John Turvey and John Blatherwick, Canadian Journal of Public Health (1990), Vol. 81, pp. 39–45 ISSN 0008-4263

Books authored

Blatherwick has written more than 20 books, mostly on medals and flying:

• Royal Canadian Air Force Honours, Decorations, Medals, 1920–1968, By John Blatherwick, 1991, FJB Air Publications.
• A History of Airlines in Canada By Francis John Blatherwick, 1989, Unitrade Press,
• Canadian Orders, Decorations, and Medals, By Francis John Blatherwick, 1983, Unitrade Press
• 1000 Brave Canadians: The Canadian Gallantry Awards, 1854–1989, By Francis John Blatherwick, 1991, Unitrade Press

Honours

• 3 May 1995 - Member of the Order of Canada (CM).^[10]
• 1979 – Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Officer 1984, Commander 1989
• 2007 – Member of the Order of British Columbia (OBC), upon his retirement.^[11]
• Special Service Medal with "NATO-OTAN" Clasp
• 1967 - Canadian Centennial Medal
• 1977 - Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (Canadian Version)
• 1992 – 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal
• 2002 – Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (Canadian Version)^[12]
• 2012 – Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (Canadian Version)^[13]
• Canadian Forces' Decoration with 3 Clasps (CD)
• Service Medal of the Order of St John with 1 Silver Bar
• 2002 – named Canadian Health Hero from the Pan American Health Organization
• 2005 – Silver Medal of Service from the British Columbia Medical Association

References

• Trailblazing doctor to retire: Public health took precedence over prudery, politics, business, By Don Harrison, The Province, Published May 29, 2007
• Blatherwick looking to spend time with family, By Kelly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun, Published May 29, 2007
• From SARS to salmonella, health officer never backed down, By Mark Hume, The Globe and Mail, Published May 29, 2007
• CANADA’S LONGEST-SERVING MEDICAL HEALTH OFFICER RETIRES, news release, Vancouver Coastal Health, May 28, 2007
• Captain Condom captures Vancouver. CMAJ. April 2002 . 166. 9. 1200. 102380. Heather . Kent.

Notes and References

1. Kendall . Perry . Dr John Blatherwick—An appreciation . BC Medical Journal . 49 . 10 . December 2007 . 578 . 10 February 2024.
2. Web site: Honorary Degree Citation . Simon Fraser University . 10 February 2024 . 7 October 2021.
3. News: Dr. John Blatherwick's Advocacy During the Early Days of the AIDS Epidemic . 30 30 AIDS Vancouver on YouTube . 24 March 2014 . 10 February 2024. 0m25s. I got to battle the AIDS epidemic from the front pages of the newspaper, on the evening news, radio and television, and all the talk shows..
4. Web site: PHS Community Services Society v. Attorney General of Canada . Supreme Court of British Columbia . 661 . 2008 . 10 February 2024.
5. Bardsley . J. . Turvey . J. . Blatherwick . J. . Vancouver's needle exchange program . Can J Public Health . 81 . 1 . 39-45 . February 1990 . 2311049.
6. Wainberg . Mark A. . The need to promote public health in the field of illicit drug use . CMAJ . 175 . 11 . 1395 . November 2006 . 10.1503/cmaj.061404 . 1635773 .
7. News: Pamela Fayerman . The Vancouver Sun . 8 April 2003 . Global Virus SARS under control in B.C. . 10 February 2024.
8. Web site: Naval Association of Canada . A History of Honours in Canada . 24 Feb 2021 . 10 February 2024.
9. Web site: John Blatherwick - Expert in Medals and Decorations . John MacFarlane . 2011 . 10 February 2024.
10. Web site: Francis John Blatherwick's Order of Canada Citation . Governor General of Canada . 8 April 2022 . en.
11. Web site: 2007 Recipient: Dr. Francis John Blatherwick – New Westminster . Government of British Columbia . 8 April 2022 . en.
12. Web site: Francis John Blatherwick's Golden Jubilee Medal Citation . Governor General of Canada . 8 April 2022 . en.
13. Web site: Francis John Blatherwick's Diamond Jubilee Medal Citation . Governor General of Canada . 8 April 2022 . en.