First Janet Wendy Last and John Last visiting professor

This has been a banner week. When Wendy died I gave some money to the University of Ottawa in her memory, suggesting that it might be used to establish a visiting professor appointment. With an eye to the future, I added to my will a bequest to the medical school that would make it possible to keep the visiting professor appointment for about 10 cycles if the funds are wisely used, by which time I hope others would contribute to the fund so it could be maintained for a longer period. 

University rules rightly prohibit me from playing any part in selecting the incumbent - although that didn't inhibit me from offering suggestions to the committee responsible. I think they made an inspired choice.  Johan Mackenbach is professor and head of the department of public health at Erasmus University medical school in Rotterdam. He is a towering figure in epidemiology and public health, well known for his contributions to social epidemiology, health services research, and studies at the interface of demography  and epidemiology. He has published over 300 original peer-reviewed articles, and books, book chapters, and official reports to governments and intergovernmental agencies. One of the perks of old age is that I've given up the almost obsessional scouring of medical journals that was an important part of my professional life for more than 60 years. But I make an exception to this practice: When I see Johan Mackenbach's name on a paper, I read it, knowing it will be wise, penetrating, innovative, probably witty.

These qualities were abundantly present in his lectures and discussions with all of us during the few days of his visit. He gave formal lectures on socioeconomic inequalities in health, and on successes and failures of health policy, drawing on data from all the 27 disparate nations of the European Union, showing how these data can be used to derive important conclusions about determinants of success and failure.    

I hope his visit will lead to a bond between Erasmus University department of public health and our department in Ottawa, with 2-way exchanges that will strengthen all of us and thereby contribute to better health on both sides of the Atlantic.

I had the pleasure and privilege of presenting a dramatic Ojibwe print to Johan Mackenbach at the reception after his lecture on 10 April

On the left, Johan Mackenbach with me and Rebecca, David and Jonathan, and on the right, with Brenda Wilson, professor, and Julian Little, professor and head of our department