skip to content
Find a Physiotherapist
Member Marketplace
Contact Us
Search
Search close
Become a Member
menu close
Search
News & Events arrow_forward_ios
arrow_back
News & Events
close
Advocacy arrow_forward_ios
arrow_back
Advocacy
close
About arrow_forward_ios
arrow_back
About
close
Professional Development arrow_forward_ios
arrow_back
Professional Development
close
Resources arrow_forward_ios
arrow_back
Resources
close
For Patients arrow_forward_ios
arrow_back
For Patients
close
For Members arrow_forward_ios
arrow_back
For Members
close
Find a Physiotherapist
Member Marketplace
Contact Us
Become a Member
  • Home
  • About
  • Membership Milestones
decades of commitment TO physiotherapy

Membership Milestones

Congratulations to OPA members for their years of commitment to the profession by maintaining a membership in the Association for 50, 60 and 70 years.

celebrating 50 and 60 years in 2025

2025 Membership Milestones

We asked members celebrating 50 and 60 years of CPA/OPA membership in 2025 to reflect on their careers as physiotherapists, and their involvement with OPA.  

50 years of membership

Jennifer Cummings

“Although now retired, during my whole career I was very proud to be a physiotherapist. I became involved in OPA/CPA at the local level early on, progressing to being active at provincial and national levels. This involvement helped me grow both personally and professionally as I gained new skill sets and experiences. The work of our professional association is so important to our status as professionals and should be supported by everyone.”

50 years of membership

Ken Higgs

“During my 50-year journey in physiotherapy, I have had fulfilling opportunities to work in clinical and management roles in hospitals, home care, and my own private practice. My career highlights and greatest honours were accepting the nominations to serve as both President of OPA in 1995/1996 and CPA President in 2001/2003 to represent my professional association’s members. My term as CPA President happened to coincide with the World Confederation of Physical Therapy Congress in Barcelona, Spain in 2003 providing me the chance to be Canada’s voting delegate during their business meeting. This experience provided me with opportunities not available in other physiotherapy career settings. Thank you for allowing me to reflect on my 50-year membership in the Association.”

50 years of membership

Doreen Sharpe

“I am incredibly proud to be a physiotherapist. I have often said that I never worked a day in my life because I truly loved what I did. Every day brought new challenges and opportunities to improve the quality of life for my clients, always with a strong focus on education and prevention. 

One of the most rewarding aspects of my career was helping people set meaningful goals and empowering them through education to take an active role in their health and well-being. 

Throughout my career, I served as a delegate for OPA and attended numerous CPA conferences and World Physiotherapy conferences. I became certified in acupuncture, which provided an additional tool to help my patients, and later had the privilege of teaching acupuncture through Acupuncture Canada. 

I am now president of the Rotary club of Campbellford and will continue to promote health, fitness and physiotherapy.”

50 years of membership

Anne Smith

“I was part of the second graduating class of the barely remembered Mohawk/McMaster School of Physiotherapy. During a 40+ year career, I filled several roles in health care but always found the most satisfaction in working as a clinician, interacting with patients and their families.”

50 years of membership

Marilyn Wells

“I thoroughly enjoyed my career as a physiotherapist. I valued my clients for their trust in me and enjoyed working with so many different people and conditions. The clients and colleagues I worked with were definitely missed with retirement.”

50 years of membership

Sandra Fowler-Sasso, Patricia Harvey & Carolyn Lundrigan

“I continue to support the CPA/OPA as I love to see how the profession continues to grow. I am proud of my physio roots and very proud of the profession.” – Sandra Fowler-Sasso

“The main thing that I learned as a physiotherapist in a variety of settings is to never ever assume anything about a patient’s life, condition or current situation. I loved my life as a Physiotherapist and am very proud of the profession.” – Patricia Harvey

We also want to recognize Carolyn Lundrigan on her 50-year milestone, and thank her for her many years of dedication to the profession.

60 years of membership

Elaine Christensen

“As far as things for new physiotherapists: always keep learning, and don’t be afraid of new adventures either. When it comes to patients, they come to you with hope for improvements. Listen really well and sometimes it’s the smallest things that you don’t expect that are the most important to them.” – Elaine Christensen

2024

50 years of membership

Donna Arsenault, Cheryl Cott, Ruth Jones, Sandy Rennie, Marilyn Weizl

60 years of membership

Patricia Harvey

75 years of membership

Marilyn Marsh

2023

50 years of membership

Agnes Ashworth, Anne Braund, Karen Brunton, Kathryn Chamberlain, Douglas Freer, Sharon Jankowski, Carol-Anne Lumis-Gray, Sheila Petrachenko, Karen Treleaven

2022

50 years of membership

Angela Dye, Carol Merton, Karen Zalan

2021

50 years of membership

Barb Alguire, Virginia Boro, Marel Fielding, Carolyn Gowland, Shirley Morton, Catherine Wilkes

60 years of membership

Moira Reed-Davis

2020

50 years of membership

Rosemary Anderson, Wendy Cliff, Susan Ferguson, L. Gadd, Sandra Gold Millstein, Catherine MacLeod, M. Marsha Maynard, Janice Payne, Tema Stein, Molly Verrier, Krisztina Weinacht, Karen Yantha

2019

50 years of membership

Catherine Anders, Anne Braund, David Egan, Susan Elms, Leonard Quinn, Janice Roberts, Gloria Schmuck

60 years of membership

Elspeth Finch

2018

50 years of membership

Trudi Douglas, Atiq Farooqui, Janet George, Lucie Labenski-Blench, Carol Moore, Gail Mulzer

60 years of membership

Shirley Lupton and Lynne Stacey

2017

50 years of membership

Lynda Dundas, Karen Jones, Mary Pomfret, Barbara Paull, M.S. Chris Fernando, Karen Shear  

60 years of membership  

Gertrude Mensch

2016

50 years of membership  

Barbara Wenzel, Bernice Zimnicki, Caroline Williams, Diane Metcalfe, Glorianne Atkins, Jayashree Dighe, Jennifer Correa-Winn, Margaret Rieger, Subhash Dighe 

2015

50 years of membership

Andrea Atkins, Ruth Burt, Elaine Christensen, Karen Lee, Marius Walfisz, Jacqueline Walt, Melanie Werstine, Deborah Westbrook, Jeff Whelan, Paula Wilcox, Paula Wileman, Kathryn Wodz

2014

50 years of membership

Maryann Jefferies, Trishan Kelso, Linda Kremer

70 years of membership

Sally Morgan

2013

50 years of membership

Alison Shragge, Catharine Smith, J. Diane Follwell 

2012

60 years of membership

Joan Mesley

2011

50 years of membership

Gertrud Mayer, Moria Reed-Davis, Roberta Young

2010

60 years of membership

Mary Sauriol

2009

50 years of membership

Ellen Bradey, Elspeth Finch, Austra Kirkup

60 years of membership

Marilyn Marsh, Joan Pape