Dr Michael McCann, 1958–2021

Dr Michael McCann was born in New Westminster, the second of six children, and grew up in Surrey, where his dad was a dentist in Whalley. Mike met Cynthia on the surgical ward at VGH, where she was a nurse, and they were married in 1986. Mike was the consummate husband and proud father of three sons, Ryan, Kevin, and Matthew.

Mike completed his medical degree at UBC in 1984, followed by a 1-year rotating internship at Dalhousie and a return to BC in 1985. At first he did locums in various parts of BC, centred in the Lower Mainland, and then set up as a solo family physician in Langley in 1987, where he served his patients and his profession until he was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer in January 2019.

Mike got involved in politics from an early age, serving as president of the UBC Science Undergraduate Society as well as class president in his first year of medical school. He also served on the UBC Senate for 3 years as a representative of the student body. When asked why he became interested in politics at UBC, Mike’s answer was, “girls!”

Mike served on the Doctors of BC Board for 10 years as the District 7 representative. He was chair of the Insurance Committee from 1999 until the summer of 2021, as well as co-chair of the Joint Benefits Committee from its inception until the summer of 2021. He also served on the Finance Committee. Many of the benefits that physicians have through Doctors of BC are due in part to the foresight, wisdom, and tireless efforts of Dr Mike McCann.

Mike took great pride in serving the members. He was instrumental in improving our situation, both individually and collectively. We have Mike to thank for a large part of the offerings available in the “Your Benefits” section of the Doctors of BC website.

He worked quietly behind the scenes for many years. The physicians and Doctors of BC staff with whom he worked all describe him the same way—calm, fair, incredibly knowledgeable, dedicated, considerate, kind, trusted, thoughtful, professional, and respected by all. He had no ego. At Doctors of BC he would listen to others’ ideas, and after consideration, make suggestions gently, on which everyone else could agree.

While on the medical staff of Langley Memorial Hospital, Mike served as chair of the Credentials Committee, vice chair of the Medical Advisory Committee for several years, and as a member of the Doctors’ Needs Committee. He was one of the founding members of the Regional Medical Society. He was selected by the medical staff of South Fraser Health Region to serve, by appointment of then Minister of Health, Joy MacPhail, on the South Fraser Regional Health Board as its first physician member.

In addition to his office practice, Mike also delivered babies, assisted in surgery, and did shifts in the emergency department. He enjoyed the intellectual stimulation and variety of his general practice, never knowing what may come through his office doors on any given day.

Mike described himself as a GP dinosaur. Others describe him as one of the Good Guys.
—David Chapman, MBChB
Surrey

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