Front row: right Myros and Natalie Samycia. Back row: (Children) Dwayne Samycia, Linda Raisbeck, Caroline Shewchuk and Gary Samycia
In the Samycia family, the profession of pharmacy is profoundly intertwined in the family's history spanning three generations.
Starting with its patriarch, the late Myros Samycia (BSc Pharm '51), there are eleven pharmacists in this family line (see the family tree for the full list of names), plus a branch that includes brother Myron Samycia (BSc Pharm '58) and niece Dana (Samycia) Withrow (BSc Pharm '91), Myron's daughter.
During his teen years, Myros worked in the local community pharmacy of Radway, Alberta, and really enjoyed the aspect of helping people improve their health. When Myros finished high school, he registered for service in the air force and was stationed for several years in Southern Alberta.
Following the completion of his service, he was offered the choice of a university education or half a section of land. When he chose the education, he made a decision that put the wheels in motion for an incredible family legacy within the profession and the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
While Myros' tuition was covered, he still had to pay for living expenses and textbooks so it was sometimes hard to make ends meet. During his internship with pharmacist George Chornell (Class of '42), he was given the chance to not only learn the business of pharmacy, but was later given the opportunity to purchase that pharmacy at 106 Avenue and 101 Street in Edmonton during the spring of 1952. Married the year prior to his sweetheart Natalie, Myros took over the business that would be renamed Myros Pharmacy.
Myros and Natalie had four children who all helped out at the pharmacy after school and on weekends while growing up. Myros' son Dwayne Samycia (BSc Pharm '79) recalls spending a lot of time there learning the business and while his parents never "directed them into the profession, they certainly encouraged us if we were interested."
Three of Myros and Natalie's four children, Linda (Samycia) Raisbeck (BSc Pharm '73), Dwayne and Caroline (Samycia) Shewchuk (BSc Pharm '83) all practiced at Myros Pharmacy for different periods of time until the business was sold in 2008.
Myros Pharmacy is also where Myron Samycia got his start in the pharmacy business. Myron worked with his brother, Myros, for five years until he opened his own pharmacy in 1963. Carrying on the family tradition, Myron's daughter Dana joined him at his store in 1994 and the two worked side-by-side until 2005.
Back row: Dwayne Samycia, Salwa Tarrabain-Samycia, Jamie Raisbeck, Linda (Samycia) Raisbeck, Donna (Belseck) Samycia and Daniel Szaskiewicz. Front row: Caroline (Samycia) Shewchuk, Andrea (Samycia) Kolinsky, Lauren Samycia and Jennifer (Samycia) Szaskiewicz
Perhaps the Samycia family trait of wanting to help other people and improve health outcomes is hereditary. Family gatherings often include discussing health care and sharing experiences, since the pharmacists in the family all work in different aspects of the profession.
According to Myros' son, Dwayne, his dad was very proud of all his children and grandchildren for their many accomplishments personally and professionally. Dwayne notes that the challenges Myros faced as a student financially were never forgotten and that Myros had an incredible work ethic and desire to succeed.
"Dad often recalled his path in achieving his degree came with some struggle and he always remembered the kindness of others along the way, including George Chornell," says Dwayne. "We are all proud alumni of the University of Alberta Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and for us, starting the Myros Samycia Family Award was one way for our family to give back and truly help students achieve their goals."
James Kehrer, dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, has seen many family connections and family philanthropy during his tenure.
"Pharmacy is an amazing profession that has long engendered family legacies. Much as growing up on a farm led to some of the children taking up farming, so have some children of pharmacists followed their parents into a profession that prides itself on taking care of patients even when it requires extra effort and personal expense," says Kehrer. "It is this selfless attitude that has translated into some exceptional philanthropic contributions. The University of Alberta is truly fortunate to have so many such family legacies including the Samycia family that have shaped both the profession in Alberta, and the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences."
As the Samycia family continues to grow, it is quite possible that the number of pharmacists in the family may also increase. One thing is for certain though, this family has made an incredible impact on the profession and the University of Alberta.