Suzanne Labarge to be honoured with Lifelong Achievement Award

Suzanne Labarge is being honoured by the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine with a Lifelong Achievement Award.

The University’s chancellor, who coalesced McMaster’s focus on research and education for better ways to grow older, is receiving the award from the School’s Division of Geriatric Medicine and the Regional Geriatric Program central.

The award honours inspirational leaders in the field who have shown forward-thinking, integrity, a commitment to lifelong learning and a selfless contribution to the building of caring communities within the Hamilton, Niagara, Haldimand and Brant Local Health Integrated Network.

Labarge, a McMaster alumna and businesswoman, was sparked into her interest in aging by her parents. She established an endowed chair in their names, the Raymond and Margaret Labarge Chair in Research and Knowledge Application for Optimal Aging.

She then donated $10 million for the Labarge Optimal Aging Initiative, which supports research projects on aging across the university as well as the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal, a web-based resource for both the public and health practitioners.

“Ms. Labarge is the ideal recipient of the achievement award as her selflessness, generosity, and commitment to lifelong learning is truly inspiring,” says Sharon Marr, chair of the Division of Geriatric Medicine for the medical school and chair of the Regional Geriatric Program central.

“She has contributed in numerous ways to the study of optimal aging and has helped to ensure that the quality of life of our community’s aging population continues to improve. Under her leadership, the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal has ensured that aging Canadians, as well as health care professionals, have access to reliable and trustworthy health information.”

The award will be presented at the annual Update in Geriatrics day, Wednesday, Nov. 25.