Dr. Dimitrios Oreopoulos, 1936-2012. During Dr. Oreopoulos's lifetime he held the position of Professor of Medicine at Toronto Western Hospital, and was regarded as an internationally renowned physician-scientist and one of the world's leading pioneers in Peritoneal Dialysis. He had over 300 scientific publications in the field of nephrology and shared his research findings and his medical knowledge at hundreds of medical meetings. He was praised by patients and colleagues for the excellent medical care that he practiced and students and fellows he had taught revere him. Dr. Dimitrios Oreopoulos, 1936-2012. During Dr. Oreopoulos's lifetime he held the position of Professor of Medicine at Toronto Western Hospital, and was regarded as an internationally renowned physician-scientist and one of the world's leading pioneers in Peritoneal Dialysis. He had over 300 scientific publications in the field of nephrology and shared his research findings and his medical knowledge at hundreds of medical meetings. He was praised by patients and colleagues for the excellent medical care that he practiced and students and fellows he had taught revere him.
Dr. Oreopoulos received numerous awards throughout his distinguished career including the American Kidney Fund National Torchbearer Award and more recently, as an International Distinguished Medalist in recognition of his work in educating physicians and enhancing the lives of dialysis patients. The Oreopoulos Baxter Scholarship in Nephrology at the University of Toronto was founded to further solidify his contributions to the field of dialysis.
His desire to educate the young, cure the sick, feed the poor, and help the aged is widely recognized amongst both his admirers and colleagues. In Toronto, he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hellenic Home for the Aged from 1987 to 1995 and had continued to serve on the Board for the last ten years. He helped to raise $5 million for construction of a 78-bed nursing home. He served on a task force, established by the Ontario government, to overcome the barriers which prevent foreign, qualified individuals from joining their respective professions.
He was a founder and the first vice-president of a multicultural alliance for seniors and aging. This alliance promoted the interests of the elderly of the various ethnic and religious groups in Ontario. He was president of this alliance from 1992- 1994. He served as president of a nonprofit organization which established day-school curricula to promote Greek Orthodox values and the Greek language. He was also a member of the Centre for Bioethics at the University of Toronto. He also founded and was senior editor of the Scientific journals: Humane Health Care International (originally Humane Medicine) and Geriatric Nephrology and Urology.
Above all else, Dr. Oreopoulos was a Humanitarian whose accomplishments and career have improved the lives of others. His contribution and involvement to our Community are profound and we take great honour in celebrating his life and success.