ROTARY MOMENT

A "Classification" describes the principal activity of the company or business with which a Rotarian is connected. For example, a police officer could be classified as "law enforcement", a school principal as "public education". The reason for a classification is to ensure a well-balanced club with members of many vocations.

 

What is the Classification Talk? Each Rotary member is asked to give a "classification talk" after they have been in our Club for a period of time. We were all assigned a classification when we joined relating to our business and position. This is your chance to tell members about yourself and your business. Classification talks are the one opportunity that club members have to talk about their profession and are also a good way to get to know more about your fellow Rotarians.

 

A Rotary Craft Talk reveals the essential elements of a Rotarian’s approach to the craft of living. Rotarians share their life stories and experiences that have shaped their character. A craft talk may include a brief history of life and career, how and why they became a Rotarian, characteristics most needed for success in their business or profession, hobbies and family life, and often include humorous stories. Newer members of our Rotary Club present Craft Talks, which has become a Rotary tradition for members to share, with the club their, background.

 

Buy doing a Craft Talk or a Classification Talk, we get to know eachother better.

 

And how do newer member get to know the more seasoned members? They do a Re-Craft Talk or a Re-Classification Talk.

 

GUEST SPEAKER : A RE-Classification / RE-Craft Talk from our very own Dr. Kris Sachdeva

 

Janice Coupland introduced Kris and said that he was the best human being she has ever known.

 

Tonight, Kris decided to do a Craft Talk and tell everyone about Kris, the person, instead of his profession or classification, urology, as he did, some 30 years ago.

 

Kris was born in the Amritsar. His father a Doctor in the Amritsar – Lahore area in then called Hindustan (before it became India).

He remembers as many as 30 families in his house at one time. He was told, that guests are even more important than family.

Kris lost his father when he was 6 months old and was raised by his mother and helped by his brother and 2 sisters. His mother did have real estate and that helped with medical school expenses and his 2 sisters also helped. He remembers that in high school, his sister (5 yrs older than Kris) who was his mentor, said that if he studied hard, he could be at the top of his class. He did just that. Then off to medical school.

 

In 1965, during the war between Pakistan and India, he was an intern and looked after the injured soldiers and POW's as well. This gave him experience in many medical procedures.

 

He knew it was time to apply for medical school in the UK. And didn't tell his family he had applied. He left India with 3 pounds in his pocket, applied for jobs in the UK, got the jobs and visited relatives in Perth, Scotland.

He became an emergency physician and did surgery of all kinds and also applied for 4 more years for the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

He precticed general surgery in hospitals all over England: Swansea, Kent, Norfolk, Dartmouth, Rugby, and Coventry and finally being promoted.

 

He then married and his daughter Rita was born in Portsmouth. In 1971 , he wrote his final exam and became a Fellow in the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

 

He was looking for a senior position and went to a conference London, England where he met a recruiter form London, Ontario. He came to canada for a what was to be a few years, intending on returning to England, but never went back.

After 3 more years of studing in Canada and the US, he received his specialty in urology and also a fellowship in transplant surgery and taught in teaching hospitals.

 

He came to Oshawa in 1980 and set up his practice at the Oshawa General Hospital with 2 other urologists, ne being Rotarian David Mankiewicz' father, Stan. He was a consultant in urology and also started a cancer support group in 1995 which is still going today.

He also practiced in all of the Durham Region Hospitals (Ajax, Whitby, Bowmanville, Port Perry and Uxbridge).

 

Kris became a memebr of the OMA (Ontario medical Association), and later President of the Durham branch of the OMA. He was also chief of the medical staff at the Oshawa General Hospital , later becoming President of the medical staff.

Kris also started a kidney donor program and recruited Hilda Finnigan. The organization , that Hilda has become so involved in, became MORE (multiple organ retrieval exchange program).

 

Kris went through some up and down times. His wife left him and his daughter was getting married.

His life changed when he met Janice. His businesss practice had flourished. He bought the lot at Simcoe and Hospital Court and truned it into a parking lot right beside his practice.

 

In December 2015, he decided to retire , and did well in his business dealings. He went in to see David Mankiewicz about his funeral set up and that is where he met Janice. He says he is so lucky to have met her and she has become his life partner. He says that she has a kind, beautiful soul and we certainly agree.

 

He noted that Rita is a Dentist in Oshawa and his son has an MBA and is using it in the marketing field.

 

He was invited to come out to our Rotary Club by Dr Rod Ross in 1985 and give it a try. He never left and has been a Club President.

 

Kris was thanked by David Penney . Dave met Kris when Kris looked after his father, many years ago. And thanked Kris for having a sure and steady hand.

 

IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT, MAKE UP : Go online at www.rotary.org go to the Rotary Club Locator and find a club or clubs near your destination. Or you can add the free App Rotary Club Locator to your phone for instant look up of any club in the world. Please mail or fax your make-ups to Secretary Robbie Larocque, or give your make-up card to the attendance/registration officer at the next club meeting.