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Born Sept. 15, 1959 in Toronto, Mark graduated from University of Toronto Medicine, got married and began his career in Family and Emergency Medicine during the fall of 1988. In 1989 Mark joined forces with Dr. Ed Sellers whom he had known as Dean of Medicine and Professor of Pharmacology during his medical student days and was now Vice President of Clinical Research at the Addiction Research Foundation. Mark would work with Ed and his staff for the next two years doing novel drug dependency research.
In 1991 Mark was invited to be a part time medical consultant for the Opiate Dependency Team at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Mark graciously accepted Ed’s offer, spending the next 8 years learning from addiction experts, attending team meetings, participating in medical rounds, doing clinical research and taking care of patients. It didn’t take long until Mark had incorporated the fruits of his labour - a close physical examination, regular diagnostic testing and up to date screening into the program - as patient centred elements.
In collaboration with Health Canada, CAMH, CPSO and Osgood Hall, Mark over the next decade collaborated in development and implementation of the first community based MMTP Guidelines of its kind in Ontario. Mark, a patient advocate at heart, would later make depositions to Law and Human Rights Professor Alan Young whose arguments in Ontario Court would lead to Health Canada's decision to adopt Federal MMAR Guidelines. Mark’s impetus to expand patient centered care helped in this way to create the first Medical Marijuana Licensing Program of its kind in North America.
In September of 2019 after 35 years of Family, Emergency and Addiction practice Mark retired from Medicine. Barely two months before covid would seriously straight jacket the global medical field with public health legislation, whether this was fated or just a preference to spend long winter months with his wife and family in Ft. Lauderdale, who really knows? The jury is still out on this one. What is certain and not in debate is that Mark began actively searching to give back to John Q Public some of his long accumulated medical knowledge.
Always wanting to write fiction, and there being no time like the present, Mark soon took to Reedsy where potential collaborative partners were found in Rob and Trish McGregor. Mark fondly recalls that fateful day when, as he says, the entire Giral thing happened in a flash. It began on March 9, 2002 and would take place in Ft. Lauderdale over a 1 week time frame. "The book took took barely six months to write, Mark says, and no more than six months to publish."
Twelve months to the day House of Giral was launched: March 9, 2023. "The whole thing, Mark says, was about love, fate professionalism and encouragement. What Rob and Trish gave to the project, allowed the whole thing to flow and to flourish, grow and prosper in a most natural way. Their unique contributions were paramount. My vision in the grand scheme of things remained intact. It became embedded in their imagination while each of them imparted unto the fictional landscape their own unique professional style and take, especially on the grand field of knowledge." With a robust smile plastered upon his face Mark contends, "the plot, scenes and characters were developed without a hitch. It was such a great joy to see the whole experience take hold, flower and invariably gain traction unto fruition. All was a seamless process of duty and love." Mark adding, "I was very very lucky."
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