UBC mourns the loss of professor emeritus of medicine Dr. Jack Taunton, a giant in the field of Canadian sport and exercise medicine. He leaves a rich legacy of support for athletes and for the health and fitness of the wider community.

As a child, Jack faced serious health complications, which kickstarted his lifelong interest in sport medicine. He went on to attend UBC’s medical school, where he was a top student despite his struggles with dyslexia.

Throughout his studies, Jack balanced school and athletics. He became a nationally ranked marathoner, completing 60 races with a personal best of 2:25:29. In 1971, Jack founded Canada’s first road-running club, the Lions Gate Road Runners, alongside fellow distance runners Ivor Davies, Bob Cormack, and Ed Macdonald. They later founded the Vancouver Marathon, with Jack as the driving force. The Vancouver Sun Run was co-founded by Jack, UBC physician Doug Clement, and Olympian Ken Elmer, and their wives Cheryl Taunton, Diane Clement, and Janet Elmer.

After completing his MD, Jack co-founded the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre. The centre’s director for over 25 years, he cared for athletes as a doctor and coach and supported students as a graduate supervisor and clinical teacher. He continued to establish multiple organizations and initiatives dedicated to community fitness, notably SportMedBC and the BC Brain Wellness Program.

Jack’s achievements span beyond the Canadian stage. He supported athlete health at eight Olympic Games, serving as Team Canada’s Chief Medical Officer during the 2000 Sydney Olympics; Chief Medical Officer for the Organizing Committee for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics/Paralympics; and Medical Officer for Canada at Commonwealth Games and the Los Angeles (’84), Seoul (’88), and Barcelona (’92) Olympics. In 2010, Jack earned a rare distinction from the International Olympic Committee for the best sport medicine program in the Olympic Games’ host history.

Over his lifetime, Jack facilitated hundreds of events locally and abroad, including coordinating the medical portion of Rick Hansen's Man in Motion World Tour – he even ran beside Hansen for nearly 100km a day across Alberta and part of Saskatchewan.

Jack’s work garnered him numerous accolades, among them an appointment to the Order of Canada and induction into the BC Sports Hall of Fame and the Richmond Sports Wall of Fame at the Olympic Oval.

A Thunderbird through and through, Jack never stopped supporting students and athletes; he was most recently working to organize medical team support for the upcoming Invictus Games 2025 Vancouver/Whistler. UBC is grateful for Jack’s tireless devotion to the community, and for his unwavering dedication to helping athletes succeed.