Andrew Simone

Andrew Alexander Simone CM, FRCPC (born May 12, 1938) is a Canadian Physician, Dermatologist and co-founder of Canadian Food For Children, a registered non-profit Canadian Charity, almost fully run by volunteers, which collects food, clothing, soap and emergency supplies for starving children around the world. Hundreds of volunteers including school groups, people of all ages and all religious backgrounds, work together at the CFFC warehouse located in south Mississauga. In 2014, 368 cargo containers (5,062,589 kg) filled with food and aid were sent to 17 different countries in the developing world.

Andrew Simone is the son of Roy Simone and Eva Duplante. He has five Sisters and was raised in Toronto. He is the son of a Sicilian immigrant father and a French-Canadian mother. During most of his early school years he was a very ordinary student with average grades. Simone attended a Catholic elementary school, old St. Basil's Elementary School, near Bay and Avenue Rd. He also studied at Oakwood Collegiate Institute. He graduated with an M.D. degree in 1963 from Queen's University and became a Dermatologist in 1968 after graduating from Harvard Medical School. During his medical studies he received numerous academic awards. He initially wanted to specialize in Paediatric Medicine but after being diagnosed with a deteriorating hearing condition, changed the focus of his studies to Dermatology. Between 1963 and 1964, he studied Lip Reading at Toronto Western Hospital and at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto.

On 22 August 1960, Simone and Joan Clare Hoare were married. They have 13 Children, one of whom is adopted, and they presently (2014) have 33 grandchildren. In February,1975, after participating in a prayer group at Nativity of Our Lord Roman Catholic Church in Toronto, Simone and his wife felt called by God to dedicate their lives to the poor. They gave away all of their luxuries, including their automobiles and investments. In 1976 they became Secular Franciscans. Simone continues his medical career but he and his wife only keep enough income each year to live a simple life. The rest of their income is given to the poor. Between 1976 and 1998 he and Joan were foster parents to 26 children through the Catholic Children's Aid Society Toronto. Since 2000 they have shared their family home with 11 single mothers and their children. Simone has worked as a medical volunteer, self-funded, 50 missions, in Haiti, Angola, El Salvador, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Madagascar, Malawi, Nicaragua, Peru, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Tanzania, Zambia and Mexico.

In 1985, after meeting and working with Mother Teresa, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, and her Sisters, Missionaries of Charity, Simone and his wife founded Canadian Food For Children. Their work was started April 9, 1981, at Mother Teresa's request, in the form of a simple hand written letter, to help the poor (initially) in Tanzania and Ethiopia.^[1]

In 2000, Simone and his wife were made Member of the Order of Canada (CM).^[2] In 1997, they both were conferred by the University of St. Michael's College, Toronto, with an honorary D.S.Litt. degree, for founding Canadian Food For Children. In 1998, they received the Christian Stewardship Award from the National Catholic Stewardship Council in Orlando, Florida. They have also received St. Anthony's International Award for Solidarity with the Poor (2006, Padova, Italy) and an "Order of Merit" from the Religious and Military Order of the Knights of St. Catherine of Sinai (2002, Rome, Italy). On June 21, 1987, Simone and his wife were presented with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal at St. Michael's Cathedral, Toronto. In October, 2016, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School presented Simone and his wife with the "Catholic Award of Merit". This recognizes and celebrates that over 40,000 students and staff from the DPCDSB have volunteered at the CFFC Warehouse in Mississauga, Ontario.

In 1994, Simone developed an interest in competitive long distance running and Triathlon events. He has completed many races. He has competed in the Boston Marathon twice, best time April 1995. He has completed the Ironman USA twice, best time, 1999,14:45:20;the Canadian Long Course Triathlon, best time, 2002, 14:33:01, finishing 1st place,65-70 year age category. He is also a Canadian Master Swimming Champion. He recently won the Canadian 2014 Master Swimming Championship in the 75+ age category. He subsequently finished 9th in the 2014 World Masters Championship,Montreal, in the Individual Medley. This is a remarkable accomplishment considering he has been battling cancer since 2012. He maintains his busy medical practice and tries to train several days a week. Since he did not have a car for well over 25 years, he often ran or rode his bike to appointments and speaking engagements, sometimes up to 45–50 miles at a time.

References

"Sacrificing for the Children of the World", Frank Jones, Toronto Star, Saturday, September 26, 1992, p.H2. "Memories of living saint", Tracy Nesdoly, Toronto Sun, Saturday, September 6, 1997. "God & I : Andrew Simone ", Mario Conte, Messenger of St. Anthony, April 2004, p.6-8. "One world, one family", Joanne Richard, Toronto Sun, March 27, 2005. "Una Famiglia grande come il Mondo", Laura Pisanello, MADRE, Ottobre 2006, p.54-56.