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Dr. and Mrs. Ferguson donate $50,000 to Barnett Chair
Dr. Gary and Mrs. Mary Ferguson have been strong supporters of Robarts since its founding, and this their recent gift of $50,000 to the Barnett Chair is a testament to their close relationship with Dr. Barnett (“Barney”).
Dr. Ferguson’s connection to Robarts spans several decades, beginning in 1986 with his involvement in the landmark NIH-sponsored NASCET (North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial) study that put Robarts on the map. Gary is also currently serving as Chair of Robarts Council, providing strong leadership and support to the Institute.
“Mary and I are pleased to support the Kathleen and Dr. Henry Barnett Chair in Stroke Research, which honours the memory of Kay Barnett and the remarkable achievements of Dr. Barnett in clinical stroke research and stroke prevention. As well, we are happy to be supporting the Robarts Research Institute, of which Dr. Barnett was the founding scientific director, and in turn, the University of Western Ontario, our alma mater.” – Dr. Gary Ferguson
Dr. Ferguson is a retired neurosurgeon and former Chief of Neurosurgery at the London Health
Sciences Centre. He received his MD from The University of Western Ontario in 1965, and is also a former Professor of Neurosurgery at Western. He is recognized internationally as a leader in stroke prevention surgery and is one of only eight neurosurgeons in Canada to be cited in the widely quoted publication Best Doctors of America.
The Chair in Stroke Research honours Barney and his late wife Kay Barnett. At Robarts, we owe a great deal of gratitude to Barney for his role in founding the Institute. He is a skilled neurologist and dedicated researcher. Kay Barnett was a registered nurse and a steadfast supporter of not only Barney’s work, but that of the countless medical students and researchers she hosted and encouraged throughout her life.
In addition to honouring this dynamic and generous couple, the Chair will boost Robarts’ distinctive research strengths with a view to expanding the scope of our national and international influence on the prevention and treatment of stroke. As a clinician-scientist, the Chair will also be a member of the Clinical Neurological Sciences department at Schulich. The Chair will continue the legacy of evidence-based medicine exemplified by Dr. Barnett and will ultimately lead to advances in the prevention and treatment of stroke, while translating that research into clinical application.