Dr Jacques Voyer, a man and physician who overcame tragedy
to make the best of one horrible accident, succumbed to
another on April 18 when he was killed in a head-on collision
in Montreal.
At the age of 21, as a young medical
student, he broke his neck diving into a friend's pool,
leaving him paralyzed. He overcame depression, disability
and what he called his "shame at being a doctor in a
wheelchair" to become one of Quebec's most respected
psychiatrists and a leading advocate for the disabled.
The details of the accident that
killed both the 57-year-old physician and his wife remain
sketchy. Dr Voyer, known as 'the Wheelchair Psychiatrist,'
was driving southbound out of Montreal on the gridlocked
Champlain Bridge during morning rush hour. Police believe
he swerved into a reserved bus lane to avoid a car that
cut his vehicle off. His adapted minivan was hit head
on by a city bus. Dr Voyer and his wife, Francyne Blackburn,
63, were taken to nearby Charles Lemoyne Hospital. Dr
Voyer died there hours later, his wife the next morning.
A
COMMUNITY MOURNS
Dr Voyer was a prominent figure in Quebec medicine and
leaves behind a community in mourning. He taught at
McGill and worked at the palliative care ward at the
Royal Victoria Hospital. He was the president of the
Institut de réadaptation de Montréal.
Walter Zelaya, director of the Quebec Association of
Paraplegics, called Dr Voyer an inspiration and a role
model. He will be missed, said Mr Zelaya in a public
statement, but his perseverance and determination will
continue to inspire those living with paralysis.
Dr Voyer received acclaim
for his autobiography, Que Freud me pardonne (Freud,
forgive me), which appeared in 2002. He was appointed
to the Order of Canada last year for his work in promoting
the autonomy and integration of people with spinal cord
injuries. For more on the life and work of Dr Voyer
please see our profile "Quadraplegic
tragedy shapes a giving life" (August 30 2004 Vol
1 No 15).
|
