Uh CONTACT THE MITCHELL ADVOCATE Vol. 164 — Issue 33 mitchelladvocate.com Phone: 519-348-8431 ress: P.O. Box 669 Mitchell Ont., NOK INO Editor: Andy Bader 519-348-8431 ext. 526202 abader@postmedia.com Advertise with Us: Digital/Print/Inserts: Postmediasolutions.com/ contact Classified Advertising: 1-877-750-5054 mitchelladvocate.com/ classifieds Obituaries: 1-877-750-5054 mitchelladvocate.com/ remembering Mitchell Advocate is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent ethical organization established to deal with editorial concerns. For more information or to file a complaint go to www. mediacouncil.ca or call toll free 1-844-877-1163. Publications Mail Agreement: No. 40064683 Subscriptions: 1 ($5715 + $2.85 Canada ee ee 2 WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 14, 2024 MITCHELL ADVOCATE After 37 years, Mitchell family doctor to retire Dr. Sergio Lappano thought he'd stay for five years but "it was perfect" ANDY BADER Born and raised in the big city, Dr. Sergio Lappano never expected to practise family medicine in a small town for as longas he did. He expected to be in and out in five years, he recalled during arecent interview prior to his re- tirement from the Mitchell Fam- ily Doctors practice this month, but was hooked almost from the start. “It was exactly what I was look- ing for,” he said. So, other than a brief hiatus to Windsor, he never really left. Lappano lived in Toronto and moved to London for his medical residency. While there, he remem- bers running into Dr. Bill Payne, who was advocating the merits of a small-town family medicine practice he had recently left in Mitchell. That was in January 1987 and, less than six months later, Lappano joined the practice with Dr. Per Larsen, Dr. Ron Collins and Dr. Jim Gall already in tow, mov- ing just a stone’s throw from the Frances Street building he’d come toknow well over the next 37 years. “This was the perfect place because there were people that you worked with that were there with you that you could share your ideas and advice,” he said “For someone starting out, it was really good to have experien re here, and they rything I wanted aid the doctors were bies and were on call with Stratford General's emergen- cy department, so if one of their patients was in an accident, for example, the doctor was called in to look after them. “At the time, foolish me... young and starting out, that’s what I wanted to do, the exciting kind of work,” he said. Withno ambulance stationed in town at the time, he remembered, physicians would often do proce- dures rather than wait for them to arrive. “It was a little bit more of an active practice and it was what I wanted to doat that time, soit was the perfect place to come,” he said. “As it worked out, the people here were really easy and good to work with. When we came here, we thought we'd stay for five ‘years and see what it was like. But the kids loved it, they did well . .. so we stayed.” Lappano’s wife Anne Marie is also from Toronto, and theirhome in Mitchell was within walking distance to the medical centre. Al- ready with three children (afourth was bornhere), the family lived for adecade before relocating to Strat- ford. Today, the couple have seven grandchildren, with their eighth on the way. “Tell you the truth, when I hear the news that nobody wants to go into family medicine, I’m sur- prised,” said Lappano, adding in the same breath that government Policy and paperwork has made it more difficult than it used to be,“butit’s got to be one of the best Ways to do medicine because you do everything. You do deliveries and newborns to seniors to chron- icillness to palliative care. Itkeeps it really interesting. “One of the most wonderful things about being here for as long as I have is I'm now getting the real pleasure of seeing people that I delivered and looking after them and theirkids. You get tosee three generations, and I've been able to walk with them through the whole thing. It’s a pretty special Place to be. “Not too many places give you the opportunity of having that kind of connection with people” he added. “We know we're privi- ee Dr. Sergio Lappano is retiring from the Mitchell Fainily Doctors after 37 years this month. He said when he first cam five years, but “it was perfect”, so he stayed. awpy leged to be allowed into people's lives to that degree, both in terms of real joyful wonderous things and the sad things, too.” Lappano was also pleased to be involved with the Rotary Hospice Stratford Perth since it opened in 2019, serving as medical director for five years, but also involved in the planning process in years Prior. He got heavily involved in Palliative care in the early 1990s and was active in the formation of the current facility. “Iwas lucky to be involved right from the beginning. It’s a wonder- ful place. Working there was a joy. It was the final thing I was hoping tohave in my career, too,” he said. Besides the increased bureau- racy, resources are also limited compared to when he first began Practicing, he said, adding the COVID-19 pandemic was chal- senging for everyone. je to tewn he thought he'd stay BADER Lappano turns 70 this year, so he knewit was time to retire, hav- ing started to transition his pa- tient roster to Dr. Jocelyn Traher months ago (who's currently on maternity leave) and the others, Dr. Liora Steele, Dr. Phil Schiel- drop, Dr. Tamar Tsafnat and Dr. Victor Kulezycki. “T’ve loved doingitall along, butI just felt, for everyone’s sake, that’s it probably time to move on,” he said. As for retirement, Lappano said he’s happy to “lay low for a while and see what comes” and looks forward to having his children and grandchildren all close to home in the Festival City. ¢ A retirement open house is planned for Aug. 14 from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. at the medical cen- tre, offering a chance for former patients and friends to express best wishes.