Ontario hospital network mourns loss of three doctors who died within a week

A hospital network in Ontario is mourning the loss of three doctors who died within days of one another last week.

“It is with deep sadness that Trillium Health Partners mourns the loss of three of our physicians who recently passed away,” Trillium Health spokesperson Amit Shilton told CTV News Toronto in a statement on Wednesday.

“Dr. Jakub Sawicki, Dr. Stephen McKenzie and Dr. Lorne Segall were trusted colleagues who were committed to caring for their patients and community.”

Trillium Health, which operates hospitals in Toronto and Mississauga, said rumours circulating on social media that the deaths were related to the COVID-19 vaccine are false.

“The rumour circulating on social media is simply not true. Their passings were not related to the COVID-19 vaccine,” Shilton said.

On July 17, Dr. Lorne Segall, a 49-year-old otolaryngologist at Credit Valley Hospital, passed away after a “ridiculously unfair and hard fought year-long battle with advanced lung cancer,” his obituary reads.

He was an “adored” husband of 22 years and the “devoted” father of a 16, 14 and nine year old.

“He shared many interests with his children including an arcane level of car knowledge, a love of Air Jordans, a penchant for all things Marvel and actually all movies, impressive gaming expertise, fitness and super jackedness, comic books and food knowledge,” his obituary says.

A day later on July 18, Dr. Stephen McKenzie, a neurologist who joined Trillium Health nearly 40 years ago, died. He was one of the neurology department’s founding members and took on a strong interest in medical education.

“Dr. McKenzie was a caring, kind and gentle man, who truly enjoyed life,” his memorial notice reads.

According to McKenzie’s office, he had been “seriously ill” leading up to his death and his office was permanently closed. The nature of his illness was not disclosed.

Dr. Jakub Sawicki completed his family medicine training at Credit Valley and went on to become a member of the Trillium Health surgical assistance team in 2014. A memorial notice distributed on July 21 says Sawicki developed a passion for pain medicine and later became the medical director of pain medicine clinics in the region. His funeral took place the following day.

His wife Iris Sawicki told CTV News Toronto her husband’s diagnosis of Stage 4 Gastric Cancer, Signet Ring Cell Adenocarcinoma, one of the most aggressive forms of stomach cancer, came as a shock last August.

It was just two weeks after the birth of their son, John-Paul.

She described her husband as “quiet,” “reflective” and “devoted.” In his honour, she is launching a scholarship in his name at Queen’s University for medical school students.

“Dr. Sawicki redefined what it means to live with cancer when you are only given a 5 per cent chance of doing so. Despite his illness, he pursued his hobbies and passions, stayed up to date with his medical practices and travelled to places that would bring him peace,” Iris said.

“My J loved a good story and although his was a short, he lived a good one.”