A beloved doctor at Holyrood Manor where he has been caring for long term care residents for the past four decades has retired.
Dr. Martin Milewski started out at Parkridge Hospital in 1984, which would eventually become Holyrood Manor, where he has spent the last 40 years of his career as a medical director, specializing in the long term care of older adults.
"His interest in working with older adults was influenced when he took over an office practice from an elderly GP, (general practitioner), whose patients were primarily geriatric and complex," explained Janine Willemsen with AgeCare Holyrood, who, along with fellow staff and residents, saw the doctor off on Friday, Nov. 22 at a party in his honour.
Milewski was born in Toronto, and lived in Thunder Bay, Ontario, until Grade 5 when his parents decided to move to Vancouver so that their son could live at home while attending university.
Even though his childhood dream was to become an astronomer, he soon discovered just how much math was involved and by Grade 10 had turned his focus to medicine, said Willemsen.
He received his B.Sc. in physiology and MD at the University of British Columbia.
Milewski started out his residency training in rehabilitation medicine and then quit to start his general practice in Maple Ridge in 1982.
He would become involved in long term care across the entire Maple Ridge community, explained Willemsen, not just at Holyrood, but to residents at Baillie House and Maple Ridge Seniors Village.
In addition to his passion for geriatric and complex care, added Willemsen, he has also been very involved in addiction medicine, with a methadone practice in New Westminster, and he was also the medical director of Maple Cottage Detox Centre, and for several years held the position of Medical Advisor for Fraser Health Drug and Alcohol Programs.
At the special farewell party, Milewski was presented with a special glass trophy to mark the occasion.
Willemsen called Dr. Milewski's commitment to the City of Maple Ridge incredible.
Milewski is looking forward to spending his retirement years hiking, cycling, kayaking, doing home renovations, and photography.
"He would love to take a master gardener course and might even consider learning to play the sax," she told those gathered, telling Milewski that he had absolutely no idea of the impact he has made to the community, most notably at Holyrood Manor.
"We are so very thankful that all those years ago a young teenage boy made a decision to give up his childhood dream of studying the stars and the planets and chose to become a medical doctor. A truly remarkable doctor," she said, congratulating him on his retirement.