Minister of Finance awards distinguished Windsorites

by Richard Dawes

Two Windsorites are being recognized for their own contributions to Canada and their community.

Minister of Finance Dwight Duncan awarded Dr. Leonard Cortese and Carol Derbyshire the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee award at separate ceremonies Jan. 18. The medal was created to honor the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession to the throne while at the same time honoring Canadians who are making a positive difference in the world. Cortese’s ceremony took place at the Windsor Regional Hospital Tayfor Campus while Derbyshire’s took place at the Hospice of Windsor.

In 2002 Cortese’s father urged him to come home and to do something for his hometown. So after getting his education at the University of Western Ontario, Cortese did just that. He said he also came to be closer to his family. He became Windsor Regional’s chief of psychiatry and medical director of The Wellness Program for Extended Psychosis. Cortese played a role in developing Windsor Regional’s Toldo Neurobehavioral Institute that opened in 2011.

Nearly 50 people filled the gymnasium to watch the ceremony and listen to Cortese explain how he heard the calling to make a difference. Windsor Regional’s manager of mental health Bill Marcot and Dr. Raphael Chung approached Cortese around 2002 when Windsor was in need.

“They talked about how we needed a schizophrenia program and unfortunately that had probably been triggered by a terrible tragedy that happened in our community at the time and they went on to talk about (how) the school of medicine here was just getting off the ground and perhaps I could help out with that in some way. And as well, hoping to get this new beautiful facility that stands to our left here, the new Toldo hospital, up and going,” said Cortese.

Duncan and Cortese attended Assumption College Catholic High School together as teens. The Minister said Cortese is regarded for his dedication.

“He’s a son of Windsor, he went away, he was educated all over the place, and he’s well regarded in mental health circles around the world, quite literally. But he’s like so many of us from Windsor, this is home and we always tend to gravitate back here,” said Duncan.

Across town Duncan again introduced the award winner, this time Derbyshire, at a ceremony inside the lobby of Windsor Hospice. Duncan said this recipient embodies what the Diamond Jubilee medal is all about. Derbyshire has made many contributions across the community but Duncan said he thinks her presence at Hospice has been the greatest. Windsor Hospice offers support and education to those affected by life-altering diagnosis and assists in end-of-life care.

Derbyshire said she could not have made a difference without everybody else’s help.

“You need to know that I am not a physician. I can’t go out and heal people’s pain. I’m not a nurse, I can’t teach them about what they need to know to stay healthy. But Janet can, Jim can, because that’s what they’re trained to do and they do it so well,” said Derbyshire. “I’m going to tell you what my strength is and why I’m here. I instinctively know good people and I bring them here and then I connect them. That’s what I do.”

Suspended from a red, white and blue ribbon, one side of the medal depicts a profile of the Queen while the other side shows the years 1952-2012, marking her 60th or diamond anniversary. In order to be eligible for the award, one must make a significant contribution to Canada in some way or make an outstanding achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada. Up to 60,000 Canadians will be recognized this year.