An Extraordinary Individual

From time to time, we meet a person whose energy, commitment, warmth and generosity of spirit change the way we see the world. Dr. Sandy Kirkley was such a person. A skilled surgeon, supportive teacher and dedicated researcher, Sandy embodied the model of a physician-scholar. She was respected by her students, her colleagues at The University of Western Ontario and the London Health Sciences Centre, and her colleagues in the international research community.

On September 8, 2002, Dr. Kirkley’s life and extraordinary abilities as a mentor, researcher, surgeon and educator was cut short in a tragic small plane accident that claimed her life and the life of her husband, Mike.

The Dr. Sandy Kirkley Chair and Centre in Musculoskeletal Research will honour the memory and continue the critical work of one of Canada’s best orthopaedic surgeons and clinician-scientists.

“Designing randomized studies to evaluate an intervention, a device or a clinical examination test was Sandy’s talent as a clinical investigator. Every day she pounded into all of us proper scientific principles applied to the evaluation of clinical problems.” -Peter Fowler, MD

The Legacy

The University of Western Ontario and London Health Sciences Centre have committed to the establishment of the Dr. Sandy Kirkley Chair and Centre in Musculoskeletal Research. This joint initiative will provide a fitting legacy to Dr. Kirkley, by continuing to build on her formidable strengths both as an advocate for rigorous epidemiological approaches to clinical trials and as a leader who motivated others to use their particular abilities to participate in the success of a multidisciplinary network of educators and researchers.

Dr. Kirkley’s belief in the power of working together is the defining vision for the Chair and Centre. The Centre, located at the University campus of London Health Sciences Centre, and the Chair, held at The University of Western Ontario, will bring together diverse research activities in orthopaedics, ranging from basic science, sport medicine and biomechanics, to joint replacement and advanced surgical techniques. It will provide a strong and stable basis on which to build a national and international resource, foster collaborative research and cross-pollination, and ultimately, improve patient care. "We're very enthusiastic about this," says Kirkley's father, Dave Crawford. "I think the enthusiasm comes from Sandy herself because just before the accident, we talked about the need for a research center”

The Commitment

Western and London Health Sciences Centre are committed to securing a minimum total of $2.5 million in private funding toward the launching of the Kirkley Chair and Centre. A visionary total of $2 million will establish an endowment to fund the Chair in perpetuity, and provide the necessary infrastructure for the Centre to be self-sustaining.

“Sandy always tried to share her expertise and wanted everyone around her to strive for excellence. She wanted to understand what we do every day in research, orthopaedic surgery and life. She realized that the only way to achieve this goal is to work not as individuals but as a group - sharing what we know and asking a lot of questions along the way.”

-Ned Amendola, MD