Celebrating Father's Day with one of Montreal's leading COVID-19 researchers
Life is a little busier these days for Dr. Donald Vinh.
As an infectious disease specialist at the MUHC, he’s spent the past 15 months working with his team to better understand COVID-19.
“It’s one of those things where you train for it and you know the theory, but you’ve had little practice,” he said.
Despite long days of research and meetings, outside of the lab Vinh is equally as busy, taking care of four children and a 150 lb Saint Berdoodle named Leo.
“We are a large family. There’s six people and one large dog,” Vinh said. “I have to be fully cognizant of the fact that none of this work or life success could have actually been achieved without my wife.”
It’s a team effort to carve out family time.
“There are times when we’re not able to spend time together because I’ve got work obligations or they’ve got their school commitments,” he said. “My two oldest ones are adolescents so now they’ve got social commitments, but we try to make sure every day is some sort of family day.”
Vinh also manages time for media interviews, which he sees as an opportunity to better inform the public on the pandemic.
“I think if we can educate the public, but more importantly communicate in consistent and clear way to the public then I think the public will appreciate and understand that and then they’ll understand ‘Ah, okay, that’s why we need to do this.’”
Despite his many responsibilities in the lab, like so many dads, it’s fatherhood that comes first.
“Unfortunately, I lost my father when I was in medical school so I already knew at a very young age what it was like to not have both my parents around,” Vinh said. “But it instilled in me that we want to be absolutely sure that we give our children the best opportunities possible.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.