(Based on his obituary in the Toronto Star, Saturday October 14th, 2006)
Bill Sibbald died of cancer, aged 60, at home, 1st September , surrounded by his family, just days after resigning from his post.
Known as a doctor with the soul of a teacher, a father who took great joy in his five children and his medical students, Bill Sibbald thrived on pushing forward those who dared to dream.
He was the founder of critical or intensive care in North America, and responsible for the largest critical care unit in Canada at Toronto’s Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, with almost 120 beds.
He graduated from the University of Western Ontario’s medical school in London in1970 and it was in that city that he and his wife spent most of their life, turning down many tempting invitations to take up exciting and lucrative positions in the US so as to bring up their young family in London. One of his sons remarked “ I’m glad people know of his international achievements but his greatest achievements were with his family. That’s what he focused on.”
“ I have met few scholars in medicine with his breadth and boundless curiosity," said Dr. David Naylor, President of the University of Toronto, his friend of many years.. "Bill Sibbald was an international giant in critical care medicine — truly one of the pioneers in the field. Long before it was fashionable, he was drawing together physicians, surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and others and creating a team-based approach to treat medically fragile patients.”
He will be remembered with pride and deep gratitude in London, Ontario, Sunnybrook and the University of Toronto.