Dr. Dominique Vervoort, MD and pioneering global health researcher, dies at 31

Friends, family and colleagues are mourning the death of an accomplished young Toronto-based MD and researcher who had a passion for cardiac surgery and health equity.At the age of 31, Dr. Dominique Vervoort died at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto surrounded by close friends and family after a prolonged battle with metastatic melanoma.“Dom will be deeply missed by all who knew him, and especially by his family, partner and close friends. He will be remembered for his intellect, advocacy, generosity, indefatigable spirit and unwavering belief that access to safe surgical care is an urgent matter of health equity,” Drs. Anna Dare and Mimi Deng, who were close friends of his, wrote on his GoFundMe page.Originally from Belgium, Dr. Vervoort obtained his medical degree at KU Leuven in his home country and completed his MPH/MBA dual degree at Johns Hopkins before coming to the University of Toronto’s Institute for Health Policy, Management & Evaluation to pursue a PhD as a Vanier Scholar.Dr. Vervoort had published more than 250 peer-reviewed papers, with his research focusing on the disparities in the care of thoracic aortic disease. He is also credited with introducing the concept of “global cardiac surgery” to the academic literature and founded the Global Cardiac Surgery Initiative to advocate for improved access to cardiac surgical care around the world.“He will be remembered for his intellect, generosity, resilience, and unwavering belief that access to safe surgical care is an urgent matter of equity. Dominique will continue to inspire us as we grieve for a far too-short life that touched so many,” the Division of Cardiac Surgery at the University of Toronto’s Department of Surgery wrote on social media.Dr. Vervoort was also one of the plaintiffs that took the Ontario government to court last fall after the province made a last-minute move to restrict internationally medical graduates from applying to R-1 CaRMS unless they completed at last two years of high school in Ontario. In December, the court temporarily halted the implementation of the province’s new restrictions, securing a win for IMGs.“Even while battling terminal cancer, he remained steadfast in his commitment to justice and equity. We extend our deepest condolences to Dom's family, partner, and loved ones. His legacy of compassion, resilience, and unwavering belief in health equity will continue to inspire us all,” Black Physicians of Canada, who were the co-applicants in the court case, said in a statement on social media. Dr. Vervoort’s loved ones are fundraising on GoFundMe to cover the costs of repatriating his body back home to Belgium, where he wished to be buried. The University of Toronto has also set up a scholarship fund in his name. In addition, Dr. Vervoort’s friends will be running in the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation‘s Journey to Conquer Cancer this summer in his honour.

Dr. Dominique Vervoort, MD and pioneering global health researcher, dies at 31

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