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CDF CELEBRATES “35 YEARS – $3,500,000”! – PART I

The Canadian Dermatology Foundation was incorporated by Letters Patent dated September 26th, 1969. This year marks the 35th Anniversary of the CDF. Over these 35 years, the CDF has awarded an amazing $3.5 million dollars in research funds in Canada. As part of the recognition of evolution and accomplishments of the CDF, the CDA Bulletin Editor Dr Chuck Lynde and Publisher Mr. Louis Vogel have kindly consented to run a series of articles over the next several editions of the Bulletin. This first in the series includes a pensive reverie by Dr H. John Albers, Immediate Past President and former Secretary-Treasurer and some history about our most recent acquisition of funds. First. . .

KEN KOBAYASHI, MD Secretary-Treasurer, Waterloo

A Bit of History
The Founding Members of the CDF were William Garbe, William Stuart Maddin, Emerson James Trow, the Younger, Robert Roy Phillips Forsey, John Campbell Mitchell, Jean Grandbois, Arthur Robert Birt, Robert Jackson, Georges Leclerc, Victor Roman Gubersky, Donald MacLaren, John Fyfe MacDonald and Horace Martin. These individuals also became the first Directors of the CDF after it was incorporated.

The objectives of the CDF as originally defined consisted of engaging in charitable activities by providing financial assistance to others who were engaged directly or indirectly in dermatological medicine (sic) or dermatological research as well as providing health information in the field of dermatological disorders. Quite a broad scope! In order to accomplish these goals, the CDF was empowered to “acquire, accept, solicit or receive by way of gift, donation, legacy, grant, bequest or otherwise and kind of real or personal property either as an annual or other contribution or as an addition” to the funds of the CDF. Although the coffers of the CDF were thus apparently receptive to any kind of gift or donation, I have not found any entries detailing gifts of jewels, livestock or land!

The CDF values the committed membership and a future article will discuss this. The most valuable gifts to the CDF, in terms of securing financial stability, have been the endowments we have received over the years. The newest acquisition was the Edwin A. Brown endowment, which came to the CDF via the good offices of the CDA and led to the establishment of the...

Edwin Brown – CDA Endowment Grant
This new grant was possible due to a very generous bequest of $328,381 to the Canadian Dermatology Association from the estate of Edwin Allan Brown.

Mr. Edwin Allan Brown had resided in Niagara-on-the Lake, Ontario and died in 1987. His estate was held in trust for the benefit of his sister Evelyn Mildred McQuade during her lifetime and, upon her death in 2001, the estate was then distributed as Mr. Brown had instructed in his will.

Little else is known about Mr. Brown’s personal history, other than that he was a publicly spirited individual who took care of his sister during her lifetime, and arranged that his considerable estate would subsequently benefit several organizations. His will indicated that he wished his legacy to the CDA be “used in research directed to investigating and finding a cure for skin diseases.” The CDA in turn transferred the funds to the Canadian Dermatology Foundation.

In 2003 an Endowment Fund was established in the name of Edwin Brown, which made it possible for the first award in his name to be made this year. At the annual CDF Research Grant awards ceremony in Victoria this year, the CDF presented a new research grant entitled the “Edwin Brown –CDA Endowment – CDF Research Grant”.

The recipient, Dr Gilles Lauzon, was the first recipient of this new research grant and was one of 17 researchers this year who have been successful in the competition for CDF grants held annually by the CDF Medical Advisory Committee.

More history in the next issue of the CDA Bulletin!

© CDA Bulletin October 2004 - published with permission of the Canadian Dermatology Association

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