E. Jan Irvine, MD - July 21, 2016

[Jeffrey Roberts]

Dr. Irvine was my gastroenterologist for quite a few years. We had known each other prior to her joining Sr. Michael's Hospital in Toronto as I assisted her in recruiting for her clinical work while she was at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. She was a very intelligent, kind, and compassionate woman who was involved in the Rome Foundation work related to Functional GI Disorders (FGiD's), which includes IBS. We attended medical conferences together on many occasions. She had a passion for caring for patients and treating them with support and dignity.

Jan is sadly missed by her many patients.

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Jan, Dr. Irvine, a woman of immense talent and quiet determination, died peacefully at home in Toronto. Fate cut short a life of accomplishment, compassion and caring. She truly loved and sadly leaves behind her husband, Alexander (Sandy) Logan, her children, Erin and Bryan, her parents, Elma and Daniel Irvine and her nephew, Daniel, and was predeceased by her only sibling, Bill.

Born in Scotland, she came to Canada at age 9 with her family. In her new country, she excelled at school, had an adventurous spirit, developed a keen sense of competition, enjoyed telling anecdotes and formed many close friendships. She melded her academic interests with her desire to help others by completing her M.D. and specialty training at the University of Toronto and M.Sc. in clinical epidemiology at McMaster University.

Her professional life began at McMaster University, where under the mentorship of Dr. Richard Hunt, her academic career flourished. She developed a quality of life instrument, now used worldwide, for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. She became Professor of Medicine at McMaster and, after her appointment as Division Head of Gastroenterology at St Michael’s Hospital in 2003, at the University of Toronto.