TAFP Directors pass resolution honoring C. Timothy Lambert, M.D.

At its Interim Session meeting, the TAFP Board of Directors recognized the “distinguished service of C. Tim Lambert, M.D. as Alternate Delegate and Delegate to the AAFP.” The Board decided to submit a resolution of commendation to AAFP on the Garland physician’s behalf. Lambert was also appointed to serve on the AAFP Foundation Board of Trustees through 2007.

Lambert, an active member since 1977, recently completed his final term as delegate to the AAFP Congress of Delegates. He served and was chair of the AAFP Commission on Membership and Member Services.  Lambert was president of TAFP from 1990-91 and has served on numerous committees and commissions. He has been an active member of the TAFP Foundation Board of Trustees for many years and currently serves as vice president.

The text of the resolution of commendation reads as follows:

Whereas C. Timothy Lambert, M.D. has had a long and distinguished service to the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, and

Whereas Dr. Lambert began his service as a medical student and continued as a resident and he has exhibited outstanding and dedicated service as an active member, and

Whereas he has served in numerous Texas Academy of Family Physicians leadership positions including President, Alternate Delegate to the American Academy of Family Physicians and Delegate to the American Academy of Family Physicians, and

Whereas Dr. Lambert’s service has been characterized by great passion tempered by reason and good judgement of what is best for the specialty of Family Medicine, be it therefore

Resolved that the Texas Academy of Family Physicians recognizes C. Timothy Lambert, M.D. for his outstanding service to the Texas Academy of Family Physicians and to the specialty of Family Medicine, and be it further

Resolved, that the Texas Academy of Family Physicians extend its most sincere appreciation and commend Dr. Lambert for outstanding service to the Texas Academy of Family Physicians and his specialty.

TAFP member receives Gold-Headed Cane Award

By Sherri T. Statler

A retired Abilene physician whose general practice counted multiple generations of the same families among its patients received the rarely awarded Gold-Headed Cane Award from the area’s 100-year-old county medical society for his contributions to the community and to his profession. The award was presented on Feb. 13, 2004.

George Dawson, M.D., was honored at the Taylor-Jones-Haskell County Medical Society Centennial Celebration and 17th Gold-Headed Cane Award Gala, a benefit for the Anson Jones Memorial Medical Foundation, at the Abilene Civic Center. Venie Palasota, who made the announcement, described Dawson as a family man, family physician and medical missionary. Mrs. Palasota’s husband, the late Pete Palasota, M.D., received the cane in 2001. 

In his career, Dawson delivered more than 4,000 babies, the last 400 to mothers whom he had also delivered. Today, Dawson is a volunteer for Hospice of the Big Country, caring for patients and their families facing the end of life.

“The real joy of practicing medicine is caring for the entire family,” Dawson said. “When you care for the entire family you really see the complete healing process take place.”

A graduate of Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and Southwestern University in Georgetown, Dawson and his young family moved to Abilene in 1959. He chose to practice medicine “for the opportunity it presented to serve the Lord.” He describes Abilene as his primary mission field, although he has traveled the world to work as a medical missionary in Nigeria, Ghana, Chile, India, Venezuela and Tanzania.

He is also a 40-plus year member of the Downtown Rotary Club. Dawson served as president of the Medical Society in 1987, and is a former deacon at the Baptist church he attends.

He and his wife, Dorothy, have four children, daughters Nan Dawson, and Lindy and son-in-law David Edwards of Georgetown, son Steven and wife Deanna of Sugar Land and Martin and wife Lucy of Austin, and 10 grandchildren.

The Gold-Headed Cane Award originated in London in the early 1600s and was introduced to the Taylor-Jones-Haskell County Medical Society by Dr. Vard Shoultz of Abilene and Dr. Knox Pittard of Anson in the early 1960s. The award pays tribute to outstanding members of the profession for their contributions, both to the profession and to the community, and to present to the public, the qualities by an outstanding physician.