Leave a Message of Condolence - Dr Tom Hamilton

To John Bonning and the members of ACEM,

On behalf of our family may I extend a very warm thank you to you all for your messages of condolence on the passing of our loving, hard working and talented father. Whilst we thought of him as dad, we can see in retrospect that he and our mother Marjory were special parents. Their love and passion is instilled in the very way we as siblings still love each other to this day, despite differences in personality and interests.  

Dad's warmth and vitality extended far beyond the reaches of the intimate family unit. He became surrogate father to quite a few of my friends, and had a heart big enough to love a wider circle than than that of his biological family. We are sad to see dad go, but what a life! His father James Steward Hamilton only reached 42 years of age. I know he would have been inordinately proud of his "wee Tom", especially how he always looked forward in life no matter the obstacles or difficulties that lay in his path. Thank you all once again. Your warmth and generosity in return is of great comfort to us all.

His children, Vivien, David and Doug Hamilton.

Following the intimate private family funeral held for Tom in Perth on Saturday, his family led by his children Vivien, David and Doug have shared a link for those who knew Tom and would like to view the moving service.

Once travel restrictions allow, a significant memorial event will be planned in 2021 for Tom’s family, ACEM members and others whose lives he touched over an illustrious career.

Tom you were a paragon of a man, a giant on whose shoulders we now stand.

Energy, passion, resilience, vision, persistence, so many values we all aspire to..  A founding father of our College, you started the journey on which we continue.

It was Douglas Adams who coined the phrase “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.”

Emergency Medicine has evolved significantly since the birth of our College in 1982, with you at the helm, accepted as a stand-alone, independent specialty in 1993, with 67 founding Fellows, having been once labelled “a Holden speciality, not a Rolls Royce”, by a Plastic Surgeon. One might discuss what vehicle analogy might be made now; something fast, adaptable, still rapidly developing, - perhaps the Tesla of Medicine, not perfect, but cool, innovative and looking to save the planet.  

Thanks for your contributions, your leadership.

Our thoughts and condolences with your family who will now be celebrating your wonderful life.

Vale Tam Hamilton
John Bonning
ACEM President 2019-2021

Read John's full message to the membership.

To all the family and dear friends of Tom, I would like to express my condolences on your loss.
I knew Tom as a man of wit, charm and intelligence, rounded off by a warm disposition and well developed sense of humor.

His contributions to the College, especially in its formative years, were quite extraordinary.
We are all the richer for having had Tom amongst us.

He will be sadly missed.

To Tom's family,
Tom made a huge contribution and was much admired.
Condolences and sympathies to you at his passing.
Sincerely
Chris Curry
MBBS UWA 1979, FACEM
Cottesloe

Tom Hamilton was a visionary - with great diplomatic skills that he used to steer the fledgling Australasian College for Emergency Medicine out of a difficult berth to an unlimited horizon.

He accepted the first Presidency of the College with great humility. Like a proud parent he watched his family of Emergency Physicians grow to independence.

Tom was a compassionate leader who insisted that we all do the same for the benefit of our patients. It was my great honour to have known him.

I became aware last week that Tom was gravely ill and am deeply saddened to hear of his death. It was a special pleasure to host him at the Perth ASM and see him proudly receive the recognition that he so deserved as the founding President of our college.

I will remember him as a charismatic raconteur who championed our specialty when so few could see it's value. This is indeed a sad moment for the emergency medicine community but we should look forward to the future, built at least in part on the foundation that Tom created. His legacy will stand forever.

My sincere condolences to Tom's family.

What a extremely sad day. Having started my fellowship training in 1989 before we were a recognised specialty and to see how far our specialty has come is in large part due to Tom Hamilton who had the vision and drive to see the College and our great specialty gain the respect that we deserve. Vale Tom Hamilton.

I was saddened to hear of Tom’s passing.

He was a legend of a man with a wonderful wit, a great sense of humour, a dedication to the development of emergency medicine, and to his family whom he spoke of often.

It has been a great privilege to have known him and to have worked with him in the early days of the College.
My deepest sympathy to his family and to his many friends in emergency medicine.

This is a day of sadness but also a day for all of us to reflect on what Tom’s determination, leadership and vigour has meant for all of us and for the millions of emergency department patients in Australia and beyond over the last four decades.

I learned much, and benefited much, from Tom from my first encounters with him and ever since.

I would like to give my truly heart felt sorrow for your loss of Tom. He was an inspiration to me every time I met him over the past 25 years. I admired his straight shooting views. One of my fondest memories was at a College meeting in Fremantle many years, when Prof Malcolm Fischer, an intensive care specialist, was banging on about how they made sure they got their specialist provider numbers through Medicare. Tom made a comment from the floor about being a proud member of a Holden speciality as opposed to a cheap European care speciality. Having grown up in the household of my "4 foot 9" Glaswegian grandmother, I truly felt at home. I never got to play a round of golf with Tom, but I look forward to it one day in the great course in the sky.

We are so sad to lose an old friend. We first met in May 1978 when Tom was visiting Victoria, and we were able to compare notes on Emergency Medicine. We remained good friends, although we sometimes disagreed on policy!

We visited him and Marjory in Perth, and always enjoyed his company and appreciated his paintings.

Tom was a giant in his field, and contributed so much to our College, to Emergency Medicine, and to all our patients. We shall never forget him, and we send our sincere condolences to all his family.

Edward and Hazel Brentnall.

Tom was the first FACEM Director of Emergency Medicine of Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and all of us at 'Charlies' ED were very sad to hear of his passing

He was a great man and he leaves the legacy of a flourishing mature specialty.

We send our deepest condolences to his family.

Dear Vivian, Doug and the rest of the Hamilton clan,

Thank you for sharing your father and grandfather with the emergency medicine community. Tom’s impact was huge, National and international, society and individual, she impact with carry on.

Best Wishes Diana

Dear Family, Tom made a big difference to you but also to Australia by establishing the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine. It is a system that encourages the highest standard and will support the poor and needy forever in this country.

Tom Hamilton was a giant of Emergency Medicine and a positive example for all of us.  He will be sorely missed but very fondly remembered.

I knew Tom for over 30 years - right from the earliest days of the College. I remember his charm and good humour and often joined him with other old timers for dinner during the week of an annual scientific conference where we would reminisce about emergency medicine and also discuss solutions for all the current problems of the world. Tom was a true gentleman and hero of ACEM. I would like to extend to all his family my personal condolences and sadness at his passing.

Wonderful career and great man, priviledge to have met Tom.