Who Is
W. Gifford-Jones, MD
Dr. Ken Walker (who writes under the pseudonym of Dr. W. Gifford-Jones, MD) is a graduate of the University of Toronto and the Harvard Medical School. He trained in general surgery at Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester, Montreal General Hospital, McGill University and in Gynecology at Harvard. His storied medical career began as a general practitioner, ship’s surgeon, and hotel doctor. For more than 40 years, he specialized in gynecology, devoting his practice to the formative issues of women’s health. In 1975, he launched his weekly medical column that has been published by national and local Canadian and U.S. newspapers. Today, the readership remains over seven million.
His advice contains a solid dose of common sense and he never sits on the fence with controversial issues. He is the author of nine books including, “The Healthy Barmaid”, his autobiography “You’re Going To Do What?”, “What I Learned as a Medical Journalist”, and his latest book, “90+ How I Got There!”.
Many years ago, he was successful in a fight to legalize heroin to help ease the pain of terminal cancer patients. His foundation at that time donated $500,000 to establish the Gifford-Jones Professorship in Pain Control and Palliative Care at the University of Toronto Medical School. At 93 years of age he rappelled from the top of Toronto’s City Hall (30 stories) to raise funds for children with a life-threatening disease through the Make-a-Wish Foundation. His hobby is trap shooting.
He is married to Susan and has four children and twelve grandchildren.
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Get Vision and Hearing Checked
January 9, 2023
Vision and hearing often deteriorates slowly as one ages. It can be difficult to notice changes from one day to the next. Ask your ophthalmologist and ENT specialist how often you should be getting check-ups....
Read on and get more Medical Tips... →Lifestyle, Philosophy
Millennials Opting Out of Having Children
January 14, 2023
A Moroccan proverb claims, “If a man leaves little children behind him, it is as if he did not die.” A Sanskrit saying translates as, “A house without children is only a cemetery.” Having children...
Read Article →Lifestyle
Aging Well at Home
January 7, 2023
It’s been said that parents should be nice to their children. “After all, they are going to choose your nursing home.” So it is punishment or reward when children choose to help their parents stay...
Read Article →Cardiovascular
Think Twice Before Shoveling the Snow
January 1, 2023
What should we conclude when health experts say people over 45 should not shovel snow? That’s a young age! What could be so threatening about clearing the snow to people in the prime of life? A...
Read Article →W. Gifford-Jones, MD
Tells It Like It Is
“You’re Going To Do What?”
How is such a busy, professional, well-traveled doctor and writer able to extol great advice at 90+? By leading a healthful, intentional life, and by applying his knowledge and common-sense approach — gained from years of research — to his own daily routines. Journey with Dr. W. Gifford-Jones through the remarkable career as a hotel doctor, ship’s surgeon, family physician, surgical specialist, syndicated medical journalist, and maverick. Along the way, learn the “do’s and don’ts” of reaching the age of wisdom.
W. Gifford-Jones, MD: 90+ and going strong.
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