William H.D. Fairbank, Vancouver, British Columbia
Governor General's Caring Canadian Award
Since his arrival in Canada in 1952, William Fairbank has generously given of his time and talents to many people. As a Big Brother for 18 years, he has greatly influenced the lives of many young boys. From 1976 to 1995, Dr. Fairbank also taught swimming and boating every summer at a youth camp for the Diocese of Westminster. For 10 years, he volunteered his expertise at a hospital in Haiti, where there was an acute shortage of medical care. Since retiring from general practice in 1994, he has visited several nursing homes to entertain residents with chamber music and choir singing. Having gone beyond the call of duty as a general practitioner, Dr. Fairbank continues to inspire by his ongoing community participation.