Dr. Michael Shuster

Michael Shuster was born in Montreal in 1950. He began his career as an Emergency Physician in Hamilton, where, as director of the McMaster paramedic program, he worked with the Hamilton Fire Department to establish the first program in Canada to train and equip firefighters to use AEDs (automated external defibrillators). Throughout his career he contributed to improving survival from cardiac arrest through his work with the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and the American Heart Association. He reviewed scientific studies, created evidence-based guidelines, and wrote educational materials,

all to help rescuers save lives in critical emergencies. He was editing resuscitation guidelines at the time of his death.

He moved to Banff in 1993 to work in the Mineral Springs Hospital ED, where he continued to find research topics of interest to him, and colleagues with whom to collaborate. Hiking, ski-touring, and paddling a canoe on mountain and northern rivers contributed to his enormous appreciation of nature. He loved to travel, to see and photograph birds, and to play competitive duplicate bridge. He was a Silver Life Master. He was also a bit of a computer wizard. He loved his younger brother Hal and his many friends.

Most of all he loved Shelley Mardiros, his spouse, best friend, and the partner with whom he shared laughter and tears, adventuresome journeys, ideas, discussions, joys, sorrows, bridge wins (and losses), and a glimpse of a fleeing cassowary.

He died suddenly of metastatic esophageal cancer at home.

There was a gathering of friends, Remembering Michael, held

at the Banff Springs Hotel convention centre theatre on Saturday, November 9th, 2019

Services provided by Russ Reynolds and Bow River Funeral Service.