A PHYSICIAN renowned for his long involvement with cancer patients lost his own battle with the disease last week.
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Dr John McDonald, 75, died in Albury, the city where he was raised and received his early education, and to which he returned as a specialist physician in later life, retiring two years ago.
John Hector McDonald was born in 1936 to Bob McDonald, manager of Younghusbands’ stock and station agency, and Ella McDonald, a future historian of the city, and attended Christian Brothers College before going to boarding school.
He qualified for membership of the Royal College of Physicians at Guy’s Hospital in London.
On returning to Australia he was elected a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
As a general practitioner in the 1960s he worked on the Snowy hydro scheme and was stationed at Island Bend camp near Jindabyne, dealing with many types of injuries including some caused by a tunnel collapse.
Dr McDonald worked as a clinical haematologist at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne and an assistant physician to outpatients at St Vincent’s Hospital.
He moved to Albury-Wodonga more than 25 years ago and practised as a specialist physician.
Dr McDonald was a long-time supporter and board member of the Albury-Wodonga Cancer Foundation, which was founded in 1986.
He was a member of the Albury Tigers Football Club and for years was the club doctor.
In 2006 he wrote and published The Mind and The Matter, a guide to meditation in cancer.
The easy-to-read book is “a practical course to help you take charge of your illness and regain your health”.
Dr McDonald suggested ways in which a patient could adapt his or her life to enjoy a good lifestyle and even “play and have fun”, though he also wrote that it was “cruel to give a patient unreal hope which cannot be substantiated”.
“This book is dedicated to the patients who have taught me everything,’’ he wrote.
Cr Patricia Gould, who served on the foundation board with Dr McDonald, said she had been a friend since their school days and he would be remembered for his long and valuable contribution in the medical field.
Foundation president Eric Turner also paid tribute, saying Dr McDonald’s views on many topics including managing cancer would be sadly missed.
Dr McDonald had three children with his first wife, Anne.
With his second wife, Margaret, a registered nurse, he established a skin treatment clinic in Albury in 2003.
Dr McDonald is survived by Mrs McDonald and his children and stepchildren and their families.
A funeral service will be held at St Patrick’s Church on Thursday at 2pm.
Fellow members of the Albury Club will form a guard of honour and donations can be made to the cancer foundation.