This year’s Jerome Classic carried a bittersweet note as we deeply felt the absence of our guiding mentor, Dr. Jack Taunton, who passed away in October 2024 while helping prepare the IG25 Medical Team for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025. Jack was passionate about these Games and determined to build “…the best medical team ever.”
Photo features: Dr. Navin Prasad, Medical Director of the UBC Sports Medicine Clinic, along with Drs. Jack Taunton and Doug Clement, founders of the original Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Clinic.
The 2025 Jerome was the first gathering of the newly named Dr. Jack Taunton Sport Event Medical Team. A moment to reflect, share memories, and carry forward his legacy.
Photo features Andrea Nicholson, DJ Delos Santos, Julianna Shipanoff, and doctors Nathan Fortin, Mike Wilkinson, Ahmed El Sayed, and Bruce Forster.
As Dr. Elna Johnson so aptly expressed: “Jack shaped not just the landscape of sport medicine in Canada, but also the way we show up for one another in this work. Jack led with heart… What you’re doing today being present, working together, caring deeply, that’s how Jack’s legacy lives on.”
Elna also reminded us:
“Whether you’re trackside treating, coordinating care behind the scenes, or responding to emergencies… know that you’re part of something bigger… That our team represents everything Jack stood for: compassion, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence.”
Featured in this photo are: Connie Keen, Dr. Michael Orenstein, Andrea Nicholson, Dr. Jack Taunton, and an Emma Juergensen.
The team was joined by many long-time colleagues, including BCEHS members who had collaborated with Jack on numerous projects, such as the creation of their iconic bike squad. Jack recognized early on the need for rapid-response coverage in large crowds and along the Stanley Park seawall. These innovations have since ensured timely medical support for events like the Vancouver Marathon and the Vancouver Sun Run.
Colleagues and friends, including Eric Chene of RUNVAN, Dr. Ken Poskitt of Achilles, physicians, clinic staff, and suppliers, shared their reflections on Jack’s profound impact. Many of today’s physicians first joined as Jack’s students and Fellows at the British Columbia Sports Medicine Centre, a testament to his lasting influence as a teacher and mentor. The center was later renamed in 1985 to the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre, (now known as the UBC Sport and Exercise Medicine Clinic).
RUNVAN honored Jack with custom medical team shirts and a dedication pin in his memory.
Photo features members from Daniels Health, GE HealthCare and the BC Ambulance – Planned Events Team
Looking ahead, Jack’s team will continue his legacy by delivering exceptional sport event medical care, while providing invaluable field experience and training opportunities for the next generation of Sports Medicine physicians.