Tim McArdle Memorial Scholarship 2007

Article from The Warragul Gazette 19 June edition

The annual Tim McArdle Memorial Scholarship was presented to Longwarry North midwifery student Amy Walker Hassett on Wednesday night.

The annual scholarship is presented to a Monash University student in memory of Warragul doctor Tim McArdle who was killed in a cycling accident in Warragul on September 11, 2002. Funds for the scholarship were raised in the local community after Tim's death.

Amy was presented with $3000 to assist with her studies.

The presentation at Stage Door, Warragul, was attended by representatives of Monash University including the deputy dean of the faculty of medicine, nursing and health sciences Tony Luff and members of the McArdle family including Tim's mother Tricia Wilson, sister Mary Castellani and brother Patrick.

Scholarship committee chairman Mavis Gallienne said the scholarship had given the community the opportunity to turn such a negative event into something positive.

She said there had been wonderful feedback from the previous three recipients.

Warragul Gazette editor Carolyn Turner said Tim had written a weekly health column for The Gazette, titled Dr Kev for more than 14 years.

She said Tim was one of the few people who committed to a column and met deadlines consistently.

"He wrote more than 600 columns and even when another doctor made a guest appearance he ensured copy arrived on time," she said.

"Not content with just the weekly column, Tim threw himself into producing a Dr Kev booklet. This was circulated in The Gazette and through doctor's surgeries throughout West Gippsland."

Carolyn said Tim sought no recognition or income for his work. "There was a brief period where funding for the column was provided through the Central West Gippsland Division of General Practice. In typical Tim style he donated the money to the Warragul Neighborhood House.

"He was happy to produce the columns in the background. For him the satisfaction was in the knowledge that he was making a difference to the community.

"Tim's success as a doctor and as the person we all knew, loved and admired is best summed up by him in a Dr Kev article in 1995 on what makes a good doctor Tim wrote: 'Compassion is extremely important It is best to treat the patient the way in which I would like to be treated.'

"That is just what he did," Carolyn said.

"Even now five years on his death has left an enormous gap in our community. It is appropriate that we have this scholarship to remember him by and the work he did in our community for all of us," she said.

Mrs Wilson said she was honoured to attend the event with her daughter Mary and son Patrick to make the scholarship presentation.

She said her family was pleased the scholarship had been created as a way of remembering Tim.

Amy said receiving the scholarship was a great honour for her and it was a wonderful way to honour the memory of Tim.

She said she hoped to be able to return to the local district when she had completed her degree.

"I even hope to open a child and maternal health centre in Longwarry because I believe in working to improve community health in general," she said.

Members of the committee established to co-ordinate the fund are Mrs Gallienne, Cleo Sahhar, Chris Fogart, Ms Turner, Des Williams and Brett Forge.

The scholarship is awarded to a first year Monash student with the faculty of medicine, nursing and health sciences who is from West Gippsland or the Latrobe Valley and who is in financial need.

The recipient must have an interest in rural health and preferably a commitment to work in rural health in Gippsland after graduating.

The late Tim McArdle's mother Tricia Wilson presents the annual memorial Tim McArdle Scholarship to Amy Walker-Hassett of Longwarry North watched by Tim's sister Mary Castellani and brother Patrick.

Monash University deputy dean of the faculty of medicine, nursing and health sciences Tony Luff at the scholarship presentation with members of the scholarship committee Cleo Sahhar and Mavis Gallienne.

Speech by Warragul Gazette editor and Tim McArdle Memorial Scholarship Committee Member, Carolyn Turner

Shortly after Tim arrived in Warragul he approached The Gazette keen to inform the community on health issues through a regular weekly health column. Tim was one of the few people who committed to a column and met deadlines for 14 years.

He wrote more than 600 columns and even when another doctor made a guest appearance he ensured copy arrived on time. He put a great deal of effort into researching his columns and ensuring they provided the community with up to date relevant information.

Tim's earlier columns were hand written and normally hand delivered. I am sure he was a frustrated journalist as he would often arrive at work and throw his own opinion into editorial meetings or just sit down and catch up on what was happening around town.

People would request topics for Dr Kev to write on and often the column would attract some healthy debate through the letters to the editor. Tim loved this feedback and the community involvement in the column.

Not content with just the weekly column, Tim threw himself into producing a Dr Kev booklet, I think he really wanted to title it the Best of Dr Kev. This was circulated in The Gazette and through doctors' surgeries and I know is still used in some homes today.

He sought no recognition or income for his work. There was a brief period where funding for the column was provided through the Central West Gippsland Division of General Practice. In typical Tim style he donated the funds to the Warragul Community House.

He was happy to produce the columns in the background. For him the satisfaction was in the knowledge that he was making a difference for his community. Although he did add his own style to the column, sometimes there were oblique references to members of the Beatles and he even did a column in 1998 on how to prepare for a trek to Mt Everest!!

He and several other doctors and health professionals were keen to take the health message out into the community. His theatrical side came out at the well known Frock Up nights and he devoted a lot of time into doing skits and providing a trendy health message for school students.

Tim's success as a doctor and as the person we all knew, loved and admired is perhaps best summed up by him; In a Dr Kev article in 1995 on what makes a good doctor Tim wrote. 'Compassion is extremely important. It is best to treat the patient the way in which I would like to be treated.' That is just what he did.

Even now, nearly five years on, his death has left an enormous gap in our community.  It is appropriate that we have this scholarship to remember him by and the work he did in our community, for all of us.