VdGM award to Per Kallestrup
VdGM is delighted to announce Per Kallestrup (pictured) as the inaugural recipient of the "Being Young Staying Young" award.
To mark the occasion of the second VdGM Forum and also acknowledge the landmark of being ten years old, in July 2014, the Vasco da Gama Movement decided to create the "Being Young Staying Young" award.The desire was to create a prestigious award that recognised an individual of significance and substance within the VdGM sphere; an individual who over a prolonged period of time had made a valuable and key contribution to VdGM. It was also of crucial importance that the inaugural recipient would be an individual who not only contributed to and influenced the development of VdGM, but also epitomizes, espouses and evokes in others the youthful mindset which characterizes and underpins the heart, soul and ethos of VdGM. For these reasons it was unanimously decided to award the first VdGM "Being Young Staying Young" award to Per Kallestrup.
Per Kallestrup has been an inspirational figure to many within VdGM. Being responsible for the establishment of the VdGM Hippokrates Exchange Programme he has remained in close contact with its development and continues to act in a senior supervisory capacity. He plays an active role within the VdGM community and frequently attends meetings at which he motivates, enthuses and galvanizes young GPs and Family Doctors - as he describes, the "Troubadours of general practice".
Per is not only a father figure but also lives through the values which are important to VdGM; collaboration, empowerment, valuing each individual, striving to be the best we can and as the award title expresses so simply yet powerfully, at all times having an attitude which is "Being Young" and "Staying Young". For the members of VdGM it was therefore a great honour that Per Kallestrup so graciously agreed to be the inaugural recipient of the VdGM "Being Young Staying Young" award.
Per Kallestrup is WONCA News' featured doctor for April 2015 (read more about him)
On behalf of everyone in VdGM, I offer Per our thanks and congratulations.
Peter A Sloane,
President, VdGM