Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned. How my father’s illness—and recovery—inspired my career move.
By Doug Earle
CEO, West Park Foundation
In a strange and serendipitous way, it was the lesson I learned through the experience of my father’s illness which led me to my new role as CEO of West Park Healthcare Centre Foundation.
As Andy Rooney, the television presenter once said, “The best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.” Four years ago, it was at the disabled and immobilized feet of my father that would ultimately inspire my career move.
There are many valid and motivating drivers behind one’s decision to change jobs. There are the obvious ones including responsibilities, impact, colleagues and culture.
But then there is purpose. What an organization really stands for. For me, this is the special ingredient that separates “great” from just “good” places to work. And when that organization’s purpose aligns with one’s own, it has the emotive power to pull on one’s heart strings in a way that is simply irresistible.
And this is what happened to me.
In the spring of 2018, my father underwent a hip replacement. Unfortunately, by August, infection had set in which necessitated a second emergency surgery. As we watched our Dad struggle in his recovery, as a family, we wondered: “What will happen to him?”
While he battled with indignities like lack of mobility and loss of independence, we tried, like so many others with aging parents, to figure out how we could reconfigure our own living spaces to accommodate a wheelchair or a walker. Practical logistics like distance (we lived in Toronto; he was in a western Ontario hospital), to the limitations of our own homes seemed to make it impossible for us to take care of our Dad.
After five weeks in the acute care hospital, his recovery was not going well. But then he was transferred to a post-acute care rehabilitation centre close to his home. We were relieved. We knew he would receive appropriate care, but we had no idea how transformative his recovery would be.
My siblings and I were amazed and grateful for what rehab was able to do for my Dad. Four weeks later he was home again. He had got his life back.
The timely access to rehab got him moving again, gave him back his independence and ultimately allowed him to return safely to his own home for what was to be his last nine months of life.
Fast forward to this September, I was invited to tour West Park Healthcare Centre in Toronto. As I looked across the Humber River valley, I was transfixed at the juxtaposition between the present and the future; between the care that is available today and West Park’s vision for tomorrow. The plans are just awe-inspiring. I knew I wanted to be part of the development of the kind of care which had made all the difference to my own father. Only this time, it held the possibility to be even more far-reaching and life-changing.
I am proud to join the hugely talented West Park team and to be part of what is going to be an amazing journey as we build something truly special.
The story originally appeared in the Spring 2023 issue of the Giving Lives Back newsletter. You can read the full issue here.
