Dr. Shaun Butcher

Falher Medical Clinic has welcomed a new physician while a physician who signed on last fall to work at Sacred Heart Community Health Centre in McLennan has decided to move on to Slave Lake. Dr. Shaun Butcher started working at the Falher clinic last week with Dr. John Loge. Coming from South Africa, Dr. Butcher had originally signed on to work in Grande Cache. Both of the new physicians decided to work in the communities where they each recently completed a two-week evaluation with the Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons. Now as the fourth physician serving the Smoky River region, the new physician is excited to join the team. “We immediately fell in love with the people and area so we decided to stay here,” says Dr. Butcher who has three years experience as a physician. He moved into the area with his wife Luanne and their two children, son Skye, 3, and daughter Ila, 2, with another child on the way. “We love the rural lifestyle,” says Dr. Butcher, who grew up on a farm. “We love the rural setting and the quietness, and the people are very friendly.” Local physicians also welcome Dr. Butcher. “His character and service will be much appreciated,” says Dr. Loge. “It will be excellent to have four doctors in the region because it will relieve on-call responsibilities and reduce the number of days physicians are on call,” says Dr. Pieter de Wet, chief of medical staff at the McLennan hospital. Dr. Butcher is accepting new patients for people who currently don’t have a physician. He and his wife plan to become involved in the community in any way they can.