Who Was Dr. Gordon Higgins?
Gordon Keith Higgins, a seventh generation Canadian, was born at St. Andrews by the Sea, New Brunswick, on March 23, 1922, son of Herbert and Georgie (Hartford) Higgins. He attended public and high school in St. Andrews, New Brunswick. He returned to St. Andrews in 1978.
Dr. Higgins obtained his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, and earned degrees in Medicine and Internal Medicine at Dalhousie University, Halifax. He then held Fellowships at the Joslin Diabetic Clinic and at the Lahey Clinic for Internal Medicine while completing post graduate work in Boston, Massachusetts from 1950 to 1954.
He came to Calgary in 1954 where he entered the practice of internal medicine, specializing in diabetics. Dr. Higgins achieved the degree Certified Specialist, Internal Medicine from the University of Alberta in 1957, was elected a Fellow of American College of Physicians in 1965, and then in 1972, became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He was awarded as a Life Member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta in 1994.
Dr. Higgins was a founder of the Calgary camp for diabetic children in 1954. This camp was one of the first in Canada. He held many positions on medical boards and committees and was a member of the Calgary Board of Health from 1965-1967.
Dr. Higgins served as an elected trustee on the Calgary Board of Education from 1963-1970 and promoted the library program in the school system. He was a member of the senate of the University of Calgary from 1972-1975. He remained a passionate advocate for public education, up until his passing on November 28, 2020.
