Victor Lei obtained his pharmacy degree in 2018, entering the PharmD program directly from the Conditional Admission to Pharmacy (CAP) program in the Faculty of Science. Victor’s passion for his Timmins community in Northern Ontario lives on through a new award established by his family, former classmates and friends.
“The most important thing about Victor is how much he cared about his community. From the very beginning of pharmacy school he knew he wanted to go back to his Northern Ontario community to support them and give back, and that’s exactly what he did,” says Rui Su, friend of Victor and former classmate. “This is a big part of why we wanted to have this memorial award – to continue to support others from Northern Ontario who want to give back to their community.”
After graduating from Waterloo Pharmacy, he started his full-time job at Iroquois Falls Guardian Pharmacy.
Image credit: Irvine & Irvine Funeral Home obituary
“Growing up in Timmins, Victor had a strong sense of values and desire to help people from all walks of life. His generosity and compassion were a true fit for the pharmacy profession as he cared deeply for his family, friends and community, and made sure to support the surrounding Indigenous communities as well,” says Kelvin Yam, Victor’s friend and former pharmacy school roommate.
Victor’s friends recall him speaking often about the healthcare challenges faced by his community and his determination to be part of the solution. He completed his co-op work terms and patient care rotations in Northern rural areas, including Matheson and Sault Ste. Marie.
“We recommended many different opportunities for him, but Victor always said he could never leave his community,” say former classmates and friends, Max Chong, Jamie Dang, Eric Kung and Dan Nguyen.
After graduation, Victor continued to pursue his goal of working in Northern Ontario as a community pharmacist in Iroquois Falls, where he focused on developing programs to increase access to care.
“He would do home medication reviews if patients were unable to come in, deliver medications if nobody else could and was a passionate vaccine and public health advocate. He continued working toward his goal of opening his own pharmacy in his hometown of Matheson, to serve the community that raised and supported him,” they add.
The award, valued at $2,000, recognizes one first-year pharmacy student who has lived in a Northern Ontario community and is interested in supporting Northern Ontario communities as a pharmacist. Preference will be given to students who have completed the CAP program.
The inaugural recipient is Georgia Wilson (Rx2029). A former CAP student, Georgia’s commitment to providing healthcare in her Northern Ontario community stems from both her commitment to her education and her early work experiences in a community pharmacy during high school.
“Although I’ll be living in Kitchener-Waterloo throughout my studies, my heart will always belong to Northern Ontario,” she says. “I was born and raised in Sudbury and have witnessed firsthand the unique challenges that northern pharmacies face. It has strengthened my dedication to the North and being part of the solution.”
Receiving this award means a lot to Georgia.
“The award reflects a lot of my personal values and I’m always proud to represent my northern roots. Knowing that it was created in honour of someone who was so committed to their community is very motivating, and something I hope to carry forward in my own career. As a former CAP student, it's even more meaningful knowing it connects the path that brought me here and where I hope to go next,” she says.
Georgia hopes to complete some of her co-op work terms in Northern Ontario and plans to return after graduation.
The award was created by family, former classmates and friends as a lasting tribute to Victor, his caring spirit and commitment to Northern communities.