The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, May 31,1984-Page 25
Ortfanizatiom and Pfeople
Endowment fund establidiied^^^a^
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HOPEDEMPSEY
OTTAWA —
During 50 years of practicing medicine, Dr. Lyon Pearlman has seen a lot of changes. As one of Canada's foremost pediatricians, Pearlman remembers the days when there were no antibiotics to fight diseases like diphtheria and scarlet fever, and "bonding" between a mother and her child Wats unheard of.
On Mother's Day, patients, colleagues, friends and relatives gathered to honor the city's first Jewish pediatrician at a testimonial dinner sponsored by the Ottawa Chapter of the Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University. The event, held at Agodath Israel Synagogue, marli-ed Peariman's 50 years of medical practice.
Dr. Lyon Pearlman
Proceeds from the dinner will go to establish an endowment fond in his name In adolescent medicine at the Hebrew University in Jemsalem. The fond will enable research projects to be carried oat in the field of adolescent health, an area which is still in its formative stage in Israel.
To his patients, he's '■mother's little helper;" to his faniily, he's a "gentle" man; to his colleagues, he taught them the meaning of teamwork, and id the Ottawa Jewish community, Lyon' Pearlman is a very special man. For the 300 diriner guests, the evening was atime to remember how Lyon Pearlman helped many of them facie the challenges of parenthood.
"He taught us that kids who come from loving and caring parents turn out just fine." says Dr. Bill James, who was master of ceremonies and has been a colleague for 17 years.
A native of Ottawa, Pearlman is best known for his pioneering efforts in the areas of premature and newborn care as well
as adolescent medicine. Since 1938, he has been actively involved in research and in practice on behalf of children and adolescents. Today, at 73, Pearlman is still going strong.
"I viewed pediatrics from the point of view of growth and development,*' says Pearlman. ''It struck me that this is whait it's all about and in that context then you appreciate how children develop, what the limitations there are to the medical profession and other paramedical professions and how wonderful it is to see nature do to these children and for these children what it is doing for them to develop into adult human beings."
During the late 1960s, Pearlman was instrumental in establishing and directing the adolescent clinic at the Ottawa Civic Hospital, one of the first of its kind in Canada.
Pearlman describes his approach to medicine as a "holistic" one.
"1 learned how to respect adolescents,'' says Pearlman. "1 learned how to search for their good qualities from which basis I could then help them with their problems. It's a technique you have to learn. It took me 20 years of practice to discover that all illness is not organic. Some difficulties that adolescents have with school, learning disabilities, etc., affect thdr physical health. I • also became aware of the family dynamics that something encroaches on a child's development."
The clinic was set up to look after physical and psycho-social needs of adolescents 12 to 18 years of age. Together with a sm^ team — a part-time social woricer, apsychiflitrist and a public health nurse — Peari-man worked to help adfriescents deal wiidh thefar emotional and physical problems.
In the eariy 19708, the clinic was moved to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario where Peariman walB Its director until three years ago. Today, he is emeritus attending pediatrician at the Children's and after 23 years of teaching, is adjunct professbr of pediatrics at the University of Ottawa.
In addition, Pearlman maintains his full-time practice in a downtown Ottawa office caring for newborn babies and giving advice to new mothers. When he's not work-
ing, Pearlman likes to take long vacations where he can be close to a beach, and spend time with his wife of 40~years Naomi, his three children (two live in Ottawa and one in Israel) and his six grandchildren.
Among the guests at the Mother's Day dinner were keynote speaker
Dr. Hillel Shuval, professor of environmental health, public health and community medicine at the Hebrew University Had assah Medica 1 School in Jerusalem, Dr. Gerald Halbert, national chairman of the Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University and MP Herb Gray, president of
the Treasury Board of Canada.
In his testimonial remarks. Dr. Bill James stressed Pearlman's ability to teach the idea of teamwork to his colleagues. "Lyon Peariman is a teacher, but not just a teacher of the science of medicine. He has also taught us the
'art' of medicine. He taught us how to work as part of a team,'' says James.
Tammy Sassman, a teenage patient oif Pearlman, also expressed her special feelings for Pearlman and his abilities to relate to adolescents.
"When my friends
complain about having to visit the doctor, I can't join in because unless I have to go and have a needle, a vist to Dr. Pearlman's office is special," says Tammy. ''He's interested in me as a person. He always asks how I'm doing in school. I know he really cares."
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