GFF: Generating health for all
Global Familymed Foundation supports Family Medicine training where access to quality health care is limited. Family Medicine graduates provide primary health care, which addresses the main health problems in the community; providing preventive, curative and rehabilitative services. We bring quality, holistic health care to those who need it the most.
Upcoming Events
Join us for fundraising and fun at these upcoming events:
CONCERT
Thanks to those who joined us for our winter 2019 concert - Deborah Nyack for an afternoon of harp. Stay tuned for our next concert announcement... post-pandemic
FILM
We were thrilled to have screened an amazing documentary about Circus Kathmandu, a group of resilient young survivors in Nepal. Please see Even When I Fall if you get a chance.
TOGETHER
The folks at GFF are going to launch a global crowdfunding campaign. We will need your help to spread the word... watch this new animated video showing Canadian family doctors the impact of a legacy of support for GFF.
Why tuition matters in Uganda
GFF partners with local training programs to find out what's needed for health
Video by Muhammad Ahmad
one of our amazing volunteers!
Core values
All of GFF's activities reflect our core values
Education
GFF believes that education is the best way to build a better community. Better training for physicians, training that makes them competent and compassionate, will serve the community.
Sustainability
Projects that are grassroots and locally-driven create sustainability. We foster initiatives brought to us by passionate local leaders, so that capacity for educational programs is created before we leave.
Partnerships
GFF strives for relationships that are transparent and mutually respectful. We believe all partners should benefit from joint activities. We engage in pan-Canadian partnerships, bringing the best suited people to our projects.
Family Medicine
We have seen first-hand how a solid primary-care system changes health outcomes, patient satisfaction, and system costs. Family Medicine trains physicians to be community-minded, to look at both preventative and curative aspects of health, and to build strong relationships with patients and communities.
What we do
Educate medical professionals on the prevention of, and curative measures for, health issues arising in developing countries.
Provide scholarships to doctors in training.
Organize and hold medical faculty development conferences.
Educate and instruct about public health and advance medical education in developing countries.
Conduct and publish research on public health issues, on the evaluation of the impact of training programs, and on the health of communities in developing countries.
Educate the public about the impact of poverty on health.
- To promote health by providing out-of-country populations with health services and facilities to prevent and manage illness
EAFMI
The East Africa Family Medicine Initiative has been spearheaded by GFF for four years, and as of October 2015 transformed into the College of Family Physicians of Eastern and Central Africa. We have sponsored delegates from Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to attend an annual collaborative meeting. Bringing emerging leaders in Family Medicine together has created momentum and strong partnerships in the region. Learn about other ways to support East African Family Medicine training by watching this video.
Resident tuition in Uganda
We have now sponsored five residents for Family Medicine tuition, at both Makerere University in Kampala and at Mbarara University of Science and Technology. In her application, Dr. Winnie Ayenro wrote: " I am a resilient and hardworking young doctor and will always go an extra mile to achieve my dreams and desires. I was especially interested in counseling people and working with vulnerable populations whose access to health care has so many limitations." and she has certainly proved this to be true! Listen to Dr. Lillian Mukisa, a past scholarship student, describe the importance of Family Medicine in her country: Family Medicine by the numbers, the impact of community-based training, how Family Medicine makes a difference, her passion for Family Medicine, and how your support for tuition helps.
Rural training in Nepal
Patan Academy of Health Sciences is a medical school in the Kathmandu valley that is dedicated to serving rural communities. They dedicate a quarter of their training to serving and learning in rural and underserved communities. GFF has raised over $40,000 towards the running of PAHS medical school and hospital, we have provided a library of Family and General Medicine books for their GP training program, and we are now sponsoring their upgrade of a long-distance educational classroom system. Click here to hear about the benefits of rural training from one of the PAHS students. We did an interview with him at Nuwakot right before the earthquake crushed the hospital.
Academic consultation
in Myanmar (past project)
The Myanmar Medical Association created a College of Family Medicine in 2014. Christine used GFF-created materials for two workshops to facilitate their curriculum development for this innovative training in Yangon. Creating an academic program that is context-driven and focuses on patient-centered care was our joint objective.
Building facilities for faculty and students in rural Uganda
It's been over 30 years since Dr. John Ross partnered from Memorial (Newfoundland) with Makerere (Kampala) in establishing a community-based teaching site in Tororo. In those years, the housing built for staff and for students has been decimated by termites. Training in rural areas takes dedication, but students and supervisors also need a roof over their heads. It's challenging enough working in rural conditions; help GFF raise funds to rebuild a strong foundation for community training.
Academic consultation
in Gondar, Ethiopia (past project)
The Ministry of Health in Ethiopia has recognized Family Medicine as critical to the delivery of high-quality primary care. Gondar University hoped to start a residency training program shortly, and so three of us affiliated with GFF ran a workshop to stimulate a discussion for the specialist teachers, helping them understand the principles of Family Medicine that might apply in their setting. This workshop was designed by friends at the Besrour Centre of the College of Family Physicians of Canada.
Our Team
All GFF members are volunteers. None of your donations go to administrative costs or salaries. We volunteer to work overseas and use University or other funding to leverage our own costs there.
Christine Gibson MD FCFP Masters in Medical Education
Executive Director
Lawyer
Muhammad Ahmad
future medical student, Volunteer
Farah Ladak MD MPH
Public Health, Policies
Communications
Prof Bob Woollard Family Medicine UBC
Senior Advisor
Alice Cavalcanti
Volunteer, Photographer
Ethical Donations
Did you read about our ED working in Nepal during the earthquake and you want to help?
The best way to donate is to a local organization, who will use 100% of the funds for what they know is needed most. We are working with Patan Academy of Health Sciences, which serves the rural poor communities by training high-quality health care workers dedicated to remote villages. These were the hardest hit by the earthquakes - one of their training hospitals in Nuwakot collapsed and 40 patients died at that site. Even now, in 2019, the Patan hospital is struggling to restock supplies.
The easiest way is to donate directly to us! GFF will send everything in our "Nepal Relief" through CanadaHelps to Patan Hospital so you can get a tax receipt.
See Christine's interviews:
GFF partners with ImPaper to create "get well soon" cards
ImPaper is a local Calgary company that makes adorable cards and posters with ImPactful charitable donations. They have chosen GFF as a recipient of their wellness cards. Have a look at the catalog, which shows the selection and the display box. Buy them wholesale for a discount by emailing their team at wellness@impaper.co
Find out more about what we've been doing
Check out our newsletters.
Archived:
Ugandan partnership updates (2021)
A different kind of summer: Our ED's podcast (2020)
WONCA presentation in Uganda (2019)
Third Fun Run, Summer Concert, and Nepal doc film Screening (2018)
Fund breakdown 2016, Fun Run, global cookbook, failing forward (2017)
Ethiopia project, Bodhi Tree karma class, Fun Walk and Run (2016)
Where did your funds go? Community Natural Foods (2016)
African updates and Nepal support by med students (2015)
First news as GFF, sponsorship of Moses (2015)
New Directors, Same Direction (2014)
Brent Tyler plays in GGF summer concert series (2014)
Ugandan program director visits GGF in Calgary (2013)
Third EAFMI conference in Kampala (2013)
Ethical policy for donations (2012)
RichManPoorMan dinner by med students raises funds for GGF (2012)
Connect
Donate, volunteer, come to an event, add your expertise, etc.
We'd love to stay in touch.
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Join Us!
GFF is a Canadian registered charity (business number 852083682RR0001) and provides great volunteer opportunities. We are always looking for people to join our organization. Whether it's local fundraising or spreading the word, logistics help with our overseas projects, or volunteering to work with our partners in medical education in Africa or Asia... we'd love to hear from you.
Email: globalfamilymed@gmail.com
Thank you
Thanks for your ongoing support as we find more great projects and strengthen existing ones. GFF extends appreciation to our wonderful funding partners:
