'Distinguished Fellowship" acceptance speech, CSMLS LabCon 2011. Halifax (Pat Letendre)

Pat Letendre's UA site

Acceptance Speech, CSMLS LabCon 2011, Halifax, NS

Rough approximation of acceptance speech for Distinguished Fellowship presented by CSMLS President, Goldie Fagan:

(click to enlarge - large file - opens in new window)

Thank you, Goldie, and thank you CSMLS for this singular honour. Honestly, my name and 'distinguished fellowship' are words that I never thought I'd hear in the same sentence. After that introduction I feel that I need a ladle, maybe a shovel. Those of you who know me best know how true that is.

I'd particularly like to thank my unknown colleagues who did all the hard work to make this award a reality. I don't know who they all are but presumably they do.

I've been fortunate to have had employers who provided rich learning environments that encouraged staff to become all they can be, especially Medical Laboratory Science at the University of Alberta and the lovely nutballs in the University Hospital transfusion service where I was privileged to work for more than 20 years. I'm confident that I had the best job teaching blood bank in the world. So much fun learning from colleagues and students! I won the lottery by finding a job where you learn new things daily, regularly get told when you are screwing up so you can improve, and they paid me for it.

[Personal remarks about one of my 'kids']

Lastly, as you may know, I have subject certification in immunohematology and am a species soon to be extinct when we dinosaurs die off. I'd like to think that I brought a few transferable skills to the job. But I was blessed with colleagues with general certification who generously shared their knowledge and expertise over the years. Their kindness means everything to me. Thank you so much.
-----------------------
If you have ever given a speech you know the words can seem flat but it's all in the delivery....(big grin)

Back to Resume