Gordon S. Fahrni facts for kids

Gordon Samuel Fahrni (April 13, 1887 – November 3, 1995) was a very important Canadian doctor. He was given the Order of Canada, which is a high honor. Dr. Fahrni was a leader in the medical world for many years. He even served as the president of the Canadian Medical Association from 1941 to 1942. He was also an expert in surgery for a condition called goitre and helped start the American Goitre Association. Dr. Fahrni practiced medicine for 54 years and lived to be 108 years old!

Early Life and Beginnings

Gordon Fahrni was one of six children. He was born in a town called Gladstone, Manitoba. His parents were Christian Fahrni and Priscilla Hyndman.

Dr. Fahrni's Medical Career

Gordon Fahrni finished his studies at the University of Manitoba in 1911. He quickly became a very respected doctor in Canada. In 1921, he helped save the Canadian Medical Association when it was having money problems. Later, he became its president from 1941 to 1942.

Dr. Fahrni was also a founder of the American Goitre Association. He became its president in 1928. A goitre is a swelling in the neck caused by an enlarged thyroid gland. Dr. Fahrni was known as a top expert in North America for goitre surgery.

He was also a skilled military doctor. He helped set up a special board for the Royal Canadian Military. This board made sure there were enough doctors for soldiers fighting overseas. It also made sure there were still enough doctors for people at home. Dr. Fahrni stopped practicing medicine in 1965. He had been a doctor for 54 years! In 1976, he wrote a book about his life called "Prairie Surgeon."

Personal Life and Lasting Impact

Gordon Fahrni loved being outdoors. He enjoyed golfing very much. When he turned 100 years old, a golf magazine called Score wrote an article about him. Dr. Fahrni passed away in 1995 when he was 108 years old. At that time, he was the longest-living doctor in Canada.

The Fahrni family had many talented doctors. Gordon's son, Dr. Gordon Fahrni, also became a doctor in Winnipeg. His nephews, Dr. Brock Fahrni and Dr. Harry Fahrni, were also doctors. Dr. Brock Fahrni helped start the School of Rehabilitation at the University of British Columbia. He was an expert in internal medicine and studied how people age. Another nephew, Dr. Walter Harrison Fahrni, was an orthopaedic surgeon. He found a new way to treat back problems without surgery.