President’s Award

 

The Honorable Horace Krever

SABM leadership selected the Honorable Horace Krever to receive the 2004 President’s Award. Following are the words Richard Spence, MD, SABM Board Member, used to introduce the Honorable Horace Krever.

Honorable Horace Krever,

The Society for the Advancement of Blood Management is truly honored to present you with the Society’s Presidential Award as a pioneer in blood management. Born in Montreal, Quebec, you were educated in the public school system of Toronto. You earned a degree in political science and economics from the University of Toronto followed by training in law at the University of Toronto, Osgoode Hall Law School. You were called to the bar in 1956 and received the accolades of Queen’s Court in 1970 and LLD (Queen’s) in 2002.

You engaged in the practice of both civil and criminal litigation in Toronto, while you also answered the call to teach future generations. You rose through the academic ranks to the level of Professor of Law at the University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario. Your interest in health care and medico-legal interactions began early in your career. You have served as a member, Commissioner or Chair of no less than fifteen prestigious groups including serving as President to the Medico-Legal Society of Toronto and as a member of the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools.

In 1975, you were appointed Judge of the Supreme Court of Ontario High Court of Justice. In the early 1980’s, the recognition that the human immunodeficiency virus was transmitted by transfusion of blood products shook the foundations of the medical community. Our patients demanded that someone assume responsibility for the safety of the blood supply. Once again, you answered the call for Canada, first by co-chairing the Royal Society of Canada’s Projection on AIDS in 1987, then, serving as Head of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Blood System in Canada.

During this four year honorable effort, you listened to the tragic stories of victims, gathered and reviewed millions of documents, and heard testimony from international experts, all the while maintaining a scholarly, disciplined and compassionate process. Your recommendations changed the practice of blood management, not only in Canada, but throughout the world. Because of your efforts, patients have regained their confidence in our healthcare systems, evidence has begun to replace anecdote in transfusion practice and our organization, the Society for the Advancement of Blood Management now exists. You have earned our humble thanks and life-long appreciation.