Fall 2023 (Volume 33, Number 3)
Tribute to Dr. Marc Favreau
By Jean-Pierre Pelletier, MD, FRCPC; and
Johanne Martel-Pelletier, PhD
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It is an honour and privilege to write a tribute in memory
of a cherished friend of more than forty years,
Dr. Marc Favreau, who regrettably passed away on
August 25, 2022. Marc was a dedicated colleague and an
outstanding rheumatologist, and in all the roles he was
known for, he stood out as exceptional.
Dr. Favreau graduated from McGill University in 1971
with an MDCM (Medicinæ Doctorem et Chirurgiæ Magistrum)
degree. He completed his training in internal
medicine (1975) and rheumatology (1978) at the University
of Montreal. Our professional and personal lives
crisscrossed while he was completing his training in
rheumatology, and our families began to build close ties,
which remain today. His passion for rheumatology was
contagious to the extent that he convinced us both to pursue
a career in the field of rheumatology: Jean-Pierre as a
rheumatologist and both of us (Jean-Pierre and Johanne)
as researchers.
After completing his rheumatology training, he began
his career as a rheumatologist at the Hotel-Dieu Hospital
in Montreal and quickly became Head of this discipline.
He was instrumental in recruiting several new rheumatologists
and building the teaching and training program
for fellows, trainees, and students. He was appointed Assistant
Professor of Medicine in 1979 in recognition of
his outstanding dedication to teaching. He was actively
involved in the growth of the fellowship program and
dedicated to maintaining it to the highest standard. His
commitment to pre- and post-graduate teaching was
exemplary. He always enjoyed meeting with students
for teaching sessions to ensure they would have the best
knowledge in rheumatology. The students also enjoyed
his teaching, which centred on the bedside. Moreover,
and quite challenging, he insisted that the trainees be up-to-date with the latest medical and scientific advances in
the field.
Peers appreciated him for his exceptional competence
as a clinician and diagnostician. For example, among
many, he always kept the patient at the forefront of his
practice, ensuring they were treated with the highest respect
and received the best possible care. In addition, he
was exceptionally skilled at establishing close contact
with his patients and ensuring they understood all the
issues related to their disease and treatment.
He firmly believed that arthritic patients deserved
and should benefit from the latest and best scientific advances.
In collaboration with his colleagues, he zealously
supported many new clinical research projects within the
Rheumatology Division, which he believed were vital to
improving patient care.
Marc was also deeply involved in several academic
activities, including being an examiner for the Royal
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada for the
specialties of dermatology and rheumatology from 1980
to 1990. He was actively involved as an organizer and
participant in numerous continuous medical education
(CME) programs throughout his career, being a member
of the Board of the Canadian Rheumatology Association
(CRA) from 2000 to 2012. His exceptional devotion to
the rheumatology community was acknowledged in 2003
when he received the prestigious Marie-Thérèse Fortin
Award from the Laurentian Conference of Rheumatology.
There was much more to Marc over and above the
fact of being a loyal friend, esteemed colleague and academic
rheumatologist. He was also a loving husband for
56 years to his wife Carole, a caring and proud father
of three sons, and, more recently, a devoted grandfather
to three grandchildren. Although his family was always
the centre of his life, he was also involved in his community.
He coached teenage hockey players for many years.
One of his greatest pleasures was sharing dinner with
family and friends.
Being part of Marc’s and his family’s life was a privilege.
He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered
by those who knew this warm, generous, and kind-hearted
man.
Jean-Pierre Pelletier, MD
Professor of Medicine, University of Montreal
Co-Head, Chair in Osteoarthritis of the University of Montreal
Co-Director, Osteoarthritis Research Unit, CHUM-CRCHUM
Member, Académie Nationale de Médecine, France
Johanne Martel-Pelletier, PhD
Professor of Medicine, University of Montreal
Co-Head, Chair in Osteoarthritis of the University of Montreal
Co-Director, Osteoarthritis Research Unit, CHUM-CRCHUM
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