The Dr. S. Lawrence Librach Award for Palliative Medicine in the Community is presented annually to a physician who demonstrates excellence and leadership in palliative care and advances palliative care in their communities through mentorship of family physicians.
The award was created to honour Dr. Larry Librach who began his medical career in 1970 and became an early presence in the field of palliative care. Dr. Librach was instrumental in shaping the Canadian approach to palliative care and palliative medicine. Throughout his 35 years in palliative care, Dr. Librach was a teacher and mentor, and an encouraging and enthusiastic colleague and friend who embraced every opportunity to give of himself, and who consistently inspired others to do the same.
2025 Award
Lisa Sullivan, Board Director, HPCO, Dr. Amit Arya, Rod Malcolm, Past Board Chair, HPCO
The 2025 recipient of the Dr. S. Lawrence Librach Award for Palliative Medicine in the Community is Dr. Amit Arya.
Dr. Amit Arya is a Palliative Care Physician at North York General Hospital, Medical Director at Kensington Hospice, Lecturer at the University of Toronto, Clinical Assistant Professor at McMaster University, and Associate Faculty Member at The Global Institute of Psychosocial, Palliative, and End of Life Care.
Dr. Arya’s commitment to providing compassionate, collaborative, and equitable patient care exemplifies the level of excellence he brings to his practice. He is a highly collaborative practitioner who prioritizes a team-based approach to care and recognizes the importance of considering many perspectives.
In his various educational roles he shows his dedication to program development and quality education. He instills the importance of holistic, inclusive, and equitable care in the next generation of physicians.
The award was presented to Dr. Arya on June 9, 2025 at the HPCO Annual Conference. Read more about the Conference and all the award recipients.
