Lecture series honours legacy of Dr. Peter Dent

Family, friends and colleagues of the late professor emeritus Peter Dent are gathering at McMaster University Thursday morning for the inaugural lecture named after the pioneering pediatric specialist and university and hospital administrator.

Dent held positions as chair of the Department of Pediatrics and associate vice-president, clinical services at McMaster and was also renowned for his work founding the McMaster Children’s Hospital and Hamilton’s Ronald McDonald House. He also created Canada’s first multidisciplinary program in immunology and virology. He died in September 2021 at age 85.

The speaker of the first annual Dr. Peter B. Dent Memorial Lecture is Maggie Larche, professor of medicine, who will speak on the lessons she learned from Peter Dent. The lecture is from 8 to 9 a.m. in room 3020 of the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery. It may also be seen on YouTube though this page.

The Dr. Peter Boris Dent Memorial Lecture is one of three initiatives being supported by the Dr. Peter Boris Dent Legacy Fund, established by his colleagues, friends and family this year.

“This is a gift to children and to their families in Hamilton, the region and beyond that they will know that someone cared enough to ensure that their children would receive love and care, for both their physical and emotional needs,” said Dent’s widow Diane Dent.

“People still see the Ronald McDonald House that Peter founded as a gift, as it is near the McMaster Children’s Hospital, where families have food and shelter. They can walk across to see their loved ones.”

Dent’s legacy fund is also supporting two additional initiatives in support of children’s health.

The Dr. Peter Boris Dent Memorial Resident Scholarship in Pediatrics, awarded to residents in the Department of Pediatrics at McMaster University who demonstrate leadership qualities, and excellence in research, academia and clinical care.

The Dr. Peter Boris Dent Memorial Research Impact Fund provides grants to physician investigators who demonstrate collaboration and excellence in in children’s health-care research.

People wishing to share memories and reflections of Peter Dent can do so in this dedicated online space.