Wlodzimierz CZARNECKI

DR. WLODZIMIERZ CZARNECKI (Wlodek) It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Dr. Wlodzimierz (Wlodek) Czarnecki. He died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on February 16, 2021. He is survived by his wife Monika, his son Andrzej, daughter-in-law Jolene, two grandsons Lukasz and Aleksander, and his brother Andrzej. He was preceded by his parents, Alina and Henryk, and son Lukasz. Wlodek was a beloved husband, father and 'dziadek' to his family and a dedicated physician to his patients. He was known for his quiet demeanor, gentle spirit and remarkable work ethic. Wlodzimierz contributions to the medical community live on in the research he conducted, the students he taught, and the patients and families that benefited from his care. After completing medical school at the University of Warsaw in 1977, Wlodek received his PhD in Cardiovascular Physiology and went on to lecture across Europe, winning research and teaching awards from the European Society of Cardiology and the Polish Heart Association. He published extensively including many peer-reviewed papers and book chapters. He got married in 1977 and had two sons - Lukasz and Andrzej. In 1988, he and his wife Monika made the difficult decision to uproot their lives in Poland and move to Canada for an invited post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Calgary. Out of dedication and devotion to his family, Wlodek decided to retrain as a physician in Canada, completing his Internal Medicine residency at the University of Manitoba and then Cardiology residency at the Ottawa Heart Institute. He worked for over 20 years as a Cardiologist in Manitoba and attended in the Coronary Care Units at the Health Sciences Centre and St. Boniface Hospital, where he was known as a devoted teacher. He had clinic practices at the Manitoba Clinic and then Victoria General Hospital until he retired in 2020. Wlodek had an accomplished and fulfilling career. After retiring, he and his wife moved to Toronto to be closer to their family. Wlodzimierz contributions were not limited to the medical community. His dedication to Winnipeg's Polish community was exemplified by his service as the Honorary Consul of Poland for many years. His commitment to his heritage and community was seen and felt over the years in his service to expand Poland's diplomatic presence in Canada. A kind and devoted husband, father and grandfather, Wlodek was the rock of his family. Private services will be held at 13:00, February 24th, 2021 at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Toronto, Ontario. Wlodek will be laid to rest at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery next to his beloved son, Lukasz. We would like to thank the staff from Sunnybrook Hospital and Temmy Latner Centre for their exceptional care and compassion. Flowers may be sent in advance of the service to Mount Pleasant Funeral Centre (375 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, ON, M4T 2V8) or in lieu of flowers a donation can be made in in memory of Wlodzimierz to the Sunnybrook Foundation or Lukasz Czarnecki Memorial Award ( http://give.umanitoba.ca/WlodzimierzCzarnecki).