Dr. Gordon and Cathy Sellery

Dr. Gordon & Cathy Sellery

Paying Forward Gratitude

Photography by Gabe Ramos

Dr. Gordon Sellery grew up and went to school in Toronto, eventually studying medicine at the University of Toronto before traveling to England for post-graduate work. Upon his return to Canada, he spent a year with the Grenfell Medical Mission in northern Newfoundland and Labrador.

“I had a very interesting experience traveling the coastlines by dog team or a ski-equipped airplane looking after the medical needs of small fishing communities,” recalls Gord. “I worked with a lot of wonderful people up there who lived off the land, without much disposable income. I donated books and things like that to the local school to help out the community whenever I could.”

After returning from Newfoundland, Gord worked as a family doctor in Barrie, then spent four years in Toronto training as a specialist in anesthesia. A position became available in London, so he joined the staff at Victoria Hospital and received a faculty appointment at Western University. While in London he met Cathy, born and raised in the city, and they were married in 1984. Cathy trained as a nurse and worked in the post-anesthesia care unit at Victoria Hospital before completing her business degree at Western and later an MBA.

As retired healthcare workers, Cathy and Gord are acutely aware of the selfless sacrifices and resilient spirits of our community’s front-line workers – not just during a pandemic, but throughout their careers and day-to-day lives.

Photography by Gabe Ramos

“You have to want to give, or you don’t usually go into healthcare,” says Cathy. “You can’t give the 12-hour shifts, you can’t give the 24 hours on call, night and day, unless you want to give back.”

Their generous natures extended beyond their careers, and in 2000, Gord and Cathy established the Sellery Family Fund as a way to give back to the community that gave their children so much.

“All of my children greatly benefited from the activities they were able to participate in because they grew up in London,” says Gord. “So it was in gratitude of what my kids received that I thought this fund would be a good way to pay it forward.”

Reviewing fund statements and giving to the fund has become an annual ritual for Cathy and Gord, and the Sellery children quickly adopted the family fund as a thoughtful way of celebrating their father. While they are extremely active in their giving, the Sellerys have left the granting for LCF to take care of.

“Even though I’m a doctor, I still go to see doctors when I’m ill or need a check-up,” jokes Gord. “LCF has the knowledge of who needs support. I don’t, and that’s why I like having a Community Fund – we trust the Foundation to find the groups that need money the most.”

"You have to want to give, or you don't usually go into healthcare...You can't give the 12-hour shifts, you can't give the 24 hours on call, night and day, unless you want to give back."

– Cathy Sellery

The Community Fund: You leave it up to LCF to ensure the community’s most pressing needs are supported.