We are family

My ideas about family were formed in my childhood days in Jamaica. I grew up in a small village, one of 7 children to a mom who was an elementary school teacher and a dad who was a foreman with the Public Works Department. My mom became qualified as a teacher by studying at home then taking the required examinations. Her mother lived with us and was a major caregiver. My father supplemented his income by mixed farming — we had a variety of animals (chickens, goats, cows, pigs, horses) in small numbers and we had various crops (bananas, pineapple, potatoes) — all on 10 acres of land. The children all helped on the farm and in the home. There was a lot of love in the family and as children we always knew that we could express and debate our views even when those views were not acceptable to our parents.

Later there would be important family ties that were not based on blood relations. There was no high school in my village and I went to high school 100 km away, where I boarded at an amazing Victorian British high school, which had been founded by the Congregational Church in 1942. I remained at this school for 7 years and bonded with numerous schoolmates — bonds which are still strong today. The school had a unique emphasis on agriculture and all male students had to take agricultural science as a subject. The belief was that it was vital to enrich agriculture with science and make it respectable in a country in which it was important but not popular. Past students get together frequently to reminisce about the good old days and to support one another. There remains an amazing amount of love in the group and we debate fiercely but lovingly.

In 1959 I was fortunate to be accepted into the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC). This marked my entry into another family. Schoolmates (classmates in particular) and faculty were members of this new profession to which I aspired. There was enormous pride in being a member of the OVC. Following graduation, I pursued graduate work at OVC then postdoctoral work in England and Denmark before joining the faculty at OVC in 1969. I loved teaching and supervising students and conducting research into animal diseases and public health, before retiring in 2005. I have been a part of OVC, and OVC has been a part of me for some 60 years; it is still family to me.

There is much for which I am thankful. I started life with loving, caring parents and a family that was all anyone could hope for. Growing up in rural Jamaica I observed that there were so many people who had very little but lived full and happy lives. My high school years were marked by camaraderie, and learning, not only academic skills, but also social and life skills. Several teachers were dedicated to helping us grow. As a student at OVC I was blessed with classmates who were thoughtful and caring, teachers who were generous and dedicated, leaders who were outstanding role models. Later, I was blessed with faculty colleagues who were kind and caring.

I took on the responsibility of Editor-in-Chief of The Canadian Veterinary Journal (The CVJ) in 2008. In my work with The CVJ I became part of a small family consisting of the journal staff, the editors, and members of the editorial committee — coworkers who are not only highly competent but also caring and supportive.

I am proud to be part of a profession whose characteristics include not only high technical competence but also compassion and caring for animals and people. During my travels, and at various meetings, I had the privilege of meeting veterinarians from all over the world. I always felt a close kinship with them as members of my veterinarian family. Family involves a genuine concern about the welfare of each other, being able to talk with each other about difficult subjects, to disagree without being hostile, and most of all being loving towards each other. Love, compassion, trust and support are key elements of the family relationship and I am grateful to my profession and the numerous individuals who have been kind, generous and supportive through good times and bad. If we think of each other as family this will only strengthen our profession. It is important to remember this, not only during the COVID-19 pandemic, but at all times.