The University of Toronto’s Department of Surgery has received enquiries from many friends and colleagues seeking to make a contribution in Dr. Cleary's memory, to support the academic achievements and leadership he pursued, with the values and priorities he embodied throughout his life.
In response, the "Sean Cleary Memorial Fund" has been established: https://uoft.me/SeanCleary. In addition, Dr. Cleary's family invites you to consider a donation to the Canadian Liver Foundation or the UHN Foundation.
It is my sad duty to tell you that we have lost our good friend and cherished colleague Dr. Sean Cleary, Langer Chair of the Division of General Surgery. Sean died yesterday morning while participating in a triathlon in Barrie.
Sean devoted a large proportion of this professional career to the Division of General Surgery and the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto. He trained here as a general surgery resident, and then as an HPB surgical fellow. He graduated from the University of Toronto Surgical Scientist Training Program with an MSc degree in cancer genetics.
Straight out of fellowship, Sean was recruited to the University of Toronto Department of Surgery as an Assistant Professor and joined the surgical staff at University Health Network with an appointment as an HPB surgical oncologist at Princess Margaret. He concurrently developed his own research program in cancer epidemiology. In light of his many academic contributions, he was soon promoted to Associate Professor.
Sean’s decision to accept an offer to join the HPB surgery group at Mayo Clinic, Rochester in 2016 was not an easy one. But it was the right one-he became Professor of Surgery and Division Chair of HPB Surgery. And he gained many valuable insights into the underappreciated virtues of the Canadian health care system. During his time at Mayo, his reputation and influence as an academic leader in HPB surgery, and surgery in general, soared. He took on key leadership roles for several surgical societies, including the Board of Directors of the American College of Surgeons, the Board of Directors of the James IV Society, and the AHPBA. With the direction he set during his recent term as President of the Canadian Association of General Surgeons, Dr. Cleary had a major impact on academic and community surgeons, and trainees at all levels, all across Canada. In particular, his emphasis on wellness and networks of support brought these topics and efforts into the mainstream.
In 2023, I leapt at the chance to bring Sean back to Toronto as the Bernard and Ryna Langer Chair of the Division of General Surgery at the University of Toronto. Together with Andy Smith and Zane Cohen, the other former Langer Chairs, we shared a vision of cross-institutional alliance and progress through mutually respectful collaboration, within and beyond the University of Toronto. I wish Sean had had more time to fully deliver on this vision but recognize that much has already been achieved.
Sean has touched the lives of many of us – as a clinical colleague, a teacher, a mentor, a supervisor, a confidential advisor, and a friend. To me, he was the consummate foot soldier turned leader, who was always there for me – reliable, wise, honest, insightful and compassionate, with a perpetually wry sense of humour. I am struggling to accept what has happened. I suspect many of you are feeling a similar sense of shock and denial at this point, and that the profound dimensions of this loss will gradually become apparent over the coming days and weeks.
The Temerty Faculty of Medicine and the Department of Surgery provide a variety of resources for faculty and learners who are affected by grief and distress; the contact details are listed below. In addition, Moji Hodaie (mojgan.hodaie@uhn.ca) and Jory Simpson (jory.simpson@unityhealth.to) are readily available to listen and provide advice on an individual basis – please don’t hesitate to reach out to them.
As a surgical family, we express our shared sense of loss and our sincere condolences to Sean’s own family, to his wife Janice and their sons. We have all lost a fine human being whose like we will not see again. If you want to extend a personal message of sympathy and share your memories of Sean with his immediate family, that would be most welcome and appreciated. Please email me (carol.swallow@sinaihealth.ca) or Tim Jackson (timothy.jackson@uhn.ca) for contact information.
As information becomes available about services of remembrance, we will update you. In the meantime, please be there for each other. As Sean always was for us.
