Pippa Hall

Dr. Pippa Hall passed away peacefully and with love at the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice in her 72^nd year, after a 4-year argument (as she would say) with MSA-P disease. She is survived by her beloved life partner and husband, John Henderson (having just celebrated a 50^th wedding anniversary), as well as sister Jackie Hall, and pet Standard Poodle Micah.

 Born in England, Pippa emigrated to Canada at the age of two and grew up in Montreal. A graduate of McGill University in 1974, Pippa started her professional journey as an elementary school teacher, later moving on to earn a B.Sc. and eventually her M.D. at the University of Saskatchewan, where she graduated at the top of her medical class in 1983. She began her medical career in family medicine, eventually moving into Palliative Care with a Palliative Medicine Residency Fellowship in 1994 at the University of Ottawa.  She gained her M.Ed. from the University of Toronto and became an Assistant Professor in the Division of Palliative Care in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa in 2000, and then Full Professor in 2010, as well as being Clinical Scientist with the Elizabeth Bruyere Research Institute. She retired as a professor with the Division of Palliative Medicine in 2012 but continued her role with the Faculty as the director of the portfolio on core competencies until 2015 and then as the content expert for the Medicine and the Humanities Program.

 Dr. Hall became recognized as one of Canada’s leaders in medical education, with publications in palliative/end-of-life care, collaborative interprofessional education and practice, and the role of the arts and humanities in medical education, for which she received a number of prestigious awards. She was instrumental as one of the pioneers of the regional palliative care consultation service, and the launch of the residential Hospice at May Court in Ottawa, which is now integrated as one of three sites of Hospice Care Ottawa.

 Pippa’s other side of life was filled with music, dance, and a love of the outdoors. For decades, she played and performed with John as a folk music duo, and then later in the folk trio Lost For Words.  Along the way, she took up Appalachian clogging at the performance level, and developed a passion for New England contra dancing, eventually becoming a dance caller for local community dances, and was instrumental in the start-up of the Ottawa contra dance community 30 years ago. A fan of cross-country skiing in winter, and hiking and cycling in summer, she developed a love in recent years for dog agility with her beloved Standard Poodle Micah.

 She will be fondly remembered by her family, as well as the many hearts she touched throughout her life, professionally and personally, and by her many friends who knew her as a wonderful musician and singer, a joyful dancer and dance caller, and an outdoor sports enthusiast.

 There will be no formal funeral service, but a celebration of life will occur at a future date.  

 Many thanks to the wonderful staff and volunteers at the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice for their incredible and compassionate care and support.  Donations to the Ruddy Shenkman Hospice would be welcome.