A commitment to continuous learning
The late Dr. David B. Meltzer embraced continuous learning throughout and beyond his days as a working physician and for decades a fund named for him and his wife Zivia Anne is supporting advanced educational opportunities for nurses across St. Joseph‘s.
Compassionate and curious, the late Dr. David Meltzer was committed to continuous learning throughout his nearly half-century career.
Today, the Dr. David B. and Zivia Anne Meltzer Fund for Nursing Education, a fund established in his and his wife’s honour, grants financial awards for nurses who possess the same commitment to learning and are pursuing advanced educational opportunities. In the past 20 years, the endowed fund, which is held by St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation, has granted nearly $150,000.
A man who was often in awe about the advancement of medicine throughout his years of practice, Dr. Meltzer would be bursting with pride knowing that hundreds of nurses at St. Joseph’s have received a financial award through the years from the fund.
Alan Meltzer, David’s son, says that his dad always wanted to support nurses.
“He’d say to us ‘Nurses are where the rubber hits the road, they are the people who know what is going on,” Meltzer added.
Jisha James, Fariha Jamani and Melissa Brandt embody continuous learning and Dr. Meltzer’s commitment to health care and were 2025 recipients of awards from the Fund.
James has been at St. Joseph’s for the past 10 years. She , a clinical nurse specialist in the treatment rehabilitation located at the Finch Family Mental Health Care Building,
Greatly influenced by her mother’s compassion and her father’s early passing, James says she always wanted to pursue a healthcare career. Today, it’s the patients she is honoured to care for that keep her inspired and provide bright moments in her day.
“When I observe the journeys patients take – from the time they are admitted to hospital and the hard work they do to regain their health and independence, I feel inspired,” James says.
Providing care every day also motivates James to learn more. And shortly, she will be defending her thesis of a two-year Master of Nursing program. She was grateful to receive the Meltzer award and use it to support work for the master’s program.
Fariha Jamani shares James’ gratitude for the award. She too is pursuing her master’s in nursing and says that the award was critical in propelling her educational journey forward.
A registered nurse, Jamani has a deep passion for caring for those in society. Growing up, she watched as her father lived with major depressive disorder and knew early on that she wanted to help people like him.
It’s because of her father and the resilient people she cares for every day that she is so committed to continuous learning.
“The life-long commitment I have made to bettering myself and improving the care I provide takes shape in a multitude of ways,” says Jamani. “Formally, I’m pursuing my master’s, but I also learn from my colleagues who have been in the profession for decades. And then there are those unexpected moments of learning that come from patients and their families that continue to teach me and make me better.”
Melissa Brandt, Clinical Manager, Operating Room, challenges herself to stay up to date on health care advancements in a number of ways.
She’s been teaching in college and university nursing programs for seven years – an endeavour she says is challenging but one that she says provides an opportunity to make more meaning of the work she does every day while continuously learning and growing. And like her fellow award recipients, pursued a Master of Nursing, graduating in August 2025.
Brandt is grateful to work for an organization like St. Joseph’s who is very supportive of health care staff pursuing advanced education. She also feels inspired to have received an award funded by donors and honouring a health care legend like Dr. Meltzer.
“Receiving this award feels like an extra layer of support as a staff member,” says Brandt. “Knowing that my organization believes in me and supports me fills me with happiness and gratitude, especially as I’ve worked hard to fulfill the spirit of the award by striving for excellence.”
Jisha James, Fariha Jamani and Melissa Brandt were joined by their colleagues on October 1, at the Professional Practice Awards to be recognized as the 2025 recipients of the Dr. David B. and Zivia Anne Meltzer Fund for Nursing Education. This year 16 people received an award from the Fund.
About Dr. Meltzer
Dr. David Meltzer was a medical giant who enjoyed a long and distinguished career. He served as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces during World War II and following the war, he attended medical school at Western University and graduated as a member of the Class of 1950 – known as the Veterans Class.
He was a hematologist and oncologist at St. Joseph's HealthCare London for nearly 35 years. He practised medicine with the highest standards of intelligence, compassion and good humour, always sharing those qualities with all privileged to know and love him.
Zivia Meltzer was also a health care professional and served as a medical technologist.
The Dr. David B. and Zivia Anne Meltzer Fund was originally established to support the palliative care program but changed over the years and now fully supports annual awards to support continued learning for nursing staff at St. Joseph’s.