The Lung Association and Discovery Asthma Camp mourn the death of Board Member, Wilf Churchman
The Lung Association, Canada 's oldest health charity, attributes its success and longevity to the astute decision making and commitment of its volunteer Board of Directors.
Today we mourn the death of Mr. Wilf Churchman, who joined The Lung Association family in 1949 as a Board Member of the former Saskatchewan Anti-Tuberculosis League. At that time the central activity of the organization was to combat the tuberculosis (TB) through the operation of sanatoria in FortSan, Saskatoon, and Prince Albert. As the TB epidemic was brought under control, our volunteer Board of Directors charted and guided new initiatives and expanded the mandate to all lung diseases.
Mr. Churchman served as the President of the Board of Directors of the Saskatchewan Lung Association from 1977 - 1988. Brian Graham, CEO of The Lung Association recalls that Mr. Churchman attended every board meeting and every meeting of every committee during his tenure as President. His exemplary contribution and example to The Lung Association is greatly respected and admired by The Lung Association family. Mr. Churchman also served for six years on the Board of the Canadian Lung Association.
In 1989 Mr. Churchman's contribution to The Lung Association was immortalized when the ACT Wilf Churchman Camp for Children with Asthma was named. Mr. Bob Ferguson, the current President of the Board of Directors comments that, Wilf and his wife, Jean, personally attended Asthma Camp annually to welcome the children.
Mr. Churchman received other prestigious awards for his distinguished service and leadership. He was presented with a Life Membership to The Lung Association in 1965. As well, in 1990 he received the Ken More Award, the Association's highest honour, for his contribution to respiratory health in Saskatchewan.
Mr. Churchman was a servant to the people of Saskatchewan. In addition to his numerous contributions to community, church, and home, he served the government both provincially and federally. Much of his government service concerned the environment through his service in the Department of Natural Resources from Chief Clerk to Deputy Minister, to Director of Indian Affairs, and the Deputy Minister, Department of Northern Saskatchewan.
"It was an honour for The Lung Association that Wilf shared his life and expertise with us", adds Brian Graham.
