It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Dr. Marcel Dvorak on May 9, 2025.
Memorial service will be held on Monday, May 19, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. at Vancouver’s Holy Rosary Cathedral, 646 Richards Street, Vancouver B.C. A live stream will also be available here.
Dr. Marcel Dvorak was a visionary leader in the field of spine surgery who impacted many lives through his surgical expertise, groundbreaking research and exceptional mentorship. He was a member of the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), a professor of orthopaedics at the University of British Columbia and the Cordula & Günter Paetzold Chair of Clinical Spinal Cord Injury Research.
As head of the Spine Program at Vancouver General Hospital, Dr. Dvorak initiated the creation of the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, an innovative and integrated hub that brings together state-of-the-art patient care and world-class research. Nationally, he educated thousands and established a multicentre research network and registry to advance spinal cord injury research. Internationally, he led key opinion leaders in spine trauma, spearheading research and education that fulfilled his life’s mission to improve patient care around the world.
Dr. Dvorak authored more than 190 peer-reviewed publications and received numerous prestigious awards and accolades throughout his remarkable career. However, most meaningful to him was the importance of improved patient care and the relationships he built — as a friend, colleague, mentor and leader. His tremendous legacy and monumental impact will endure through those he inspired and influenced.
