Shaping Our Medical Education Journey - College of Medicine ...

The Difference a
Donor Makes
Dr. William Kindrachuk, U of S College of Medicine
Class of 1953
Dr. William Kindrachuk, U of S College of
Medicine Class of 1953, made a $93,000 gift
to the University of Saskatchewan in 2007.
Half of his very generous donation was
allocated to children of employees
of the Lakeview Pioneer Lodge elder home
in Wakaw, with the other half directed to
establish the William and Diana Kindrachuk
Bursaries in Medicine for Aboriginal
students in the College of Medicine.
Dr. Kindrachuk grew up on a farm near Fish
Creek which was originally homesteaded
by his grandfather in 1900. The 1930s and
40s were spent on the farm, where he
first became acquainted with the adverse
living conditions Aboriginal peoples often
faced. “Our house was about 4 km from
the One Arrow reserve, and although my
family didn’t have a close relationship with
members of the aboriginal community, we
definitely interacted with them and were
aware of the challenges they faced in
trying to make a living.”
Like many farm kids, the young Kindrachuk
took correspondence school for grades 9-11
and transferred to Bedford Road Collegiate
in 1945 to complete Grade 12. At 16, he
took a full time job at the Hudson’s Bay
Company, earning $21.40 a week and saving
for his first year of university tuition. He
was able to work and pay his way through
school by painting grain elevators in Alberta
with other University of Saskatchewan
students. “It cost us about $12 dollars each
to get to Calgary
by train. There
were about 10
of us – all in
medical school
or working
as Ph.D.
candidates.
We’d work all
summer – it
was a dirty job,
but it paid
our tuition.”
Funding his last
two years of
medical school
proved difficult.
There simply
was not enough
time between academic sessions to earn
sufficient money. A loan to finance the
balance was his only option.
Dr. Kindrachuk moved on to practice
medicine in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, but his
early experiences in Saskatchewan stuck
with him. “The University of Saskatchewan
provided me with my start at a very
reasonable cost, and I wanted to share
my good fortune. I created the fund
to assist aboriginal medical students
because I thought these students needed
help and I wasn’t aware of any programs
providing them with an adequate
amount of support. Dr. Kindrachuk’s gift
was motivated by his personal belief in
“sharing his good fortune.”
The Kindrachuk family’s commitment to
medicine remains strong: Dr. Kindrachuk
and two of his brothers became doctors,
and many of their children decided to
continue the family legacy.
Saskatchewan is still an important part
of Dr. Kindrachuk’s life, and his love
for this place continues to be shared
with his family. In fact, five of his nine
grandchildren have visited the province.
“
The University
of Saskatchewan
provided me with
my start and I
wanted to share
my good fortune.
”
Students from Saskatchewan are
reminded of Dr. Kindrachuk’s generosity
frequently, especially those who have
parents on staff at the senior’s home
near Wakaw. Dr. Kindrachuk’s mother
was a resident in the home for over two
decades, until she passed away at the
age of 95. Half of Dr. Kindrachuk’s gift
to the U of S was used to establish
a bursary for the children of his
mother’s caregivers.
On behalf of the College of Medicine,
we wish to thank Dr. Kindrachuk for his
support and commitment to effecting
change in our students’ lives. n
University of Saskatchewan • College of Medicine C O M M U N I Q U É 3