Dr John Armstrong mingles with his patients. Photo / Stephen Parker
Dr John Armstrong mingles with his patients. Photo / Stephen Parker
If there was ever any doubt just how Rotorua feels about Dr John Armstrong, he certainly would have the message now. A public farewell for the city's longest-serving GP has been held. Kelly Makiha was there.
Liz Campbell fought back tears and trembled as she clutched a microphone and tolda crowd of people just what Dr John Armstrong meant to her family.
Her husband, Eric, died on September 25 last year.
Specialists said his stage four cancer would get him within three months. Instead, he lived nearly a year longer, worked up until three weeks before he died and was happy and energetic.
Ata Armstrong (right) comforts Liz Campbell as she talks about her family's love for Dr John Armstrong. Photo / Stephen Parker
"Through John's wonderful love and medical care, he lived longer and happier ... We are going to miss you."
She said Armstrong researched vitamin C infusions that did wonders for her husband's condition and would visit him daily in his final weeks. There were also countless texts and phone calls.
Liz said Eric just loved his doctor and would look forward to his visits.
Her story is just one of the many as about 100 Eastside residents poured out their love and thanks to Rotorua's longest-serving GP who has finally decided to retire after spending 42 years in the medical industry, most of which was leading the team at the Ōwhata Medical Centre in Rotorua.
The young, the old, all those in between, fellow doctors and health board members came to personally hug "Dr John" or have a final chat over a cuppa to say thank you for spending more than four decades caring for them.
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick address the crowd who gathered to farewell Dr John Armstrong. Photo / Stephen Parker
Rotorua mayor, former patient, former colleague and friend Steve Chadwick got plenty of giggles when she brought up the fact Armstrong was never great at keeping to his time slots.
"He spent so long making sure of the wider consequences of the health problems that might make a difference. He was a wonderful doctor."
She congratulated him and his wife, Ata, who is the medical centre's manager, on making the difficult decision to retire and realising "we don't own you".
Rotorua Coroner Wallace Bain spoke about how instrumental Armstrong was in changing legislation to allow a more culturally sensitive system of dealing with deaths, which saw doctors such as Armstrong signing death certificates instead of putting bodies through post mortems unnecessarily.
Dr John Armstrong at his farewell at the Ōwhata Medical Centre. Photo / Stepehen Parker
Bain said, as a result, the number of post mortems carried out in the area halved.
"I don't think people actually realised behind the scenes just how much he did."
Armstrong, who despite being Pākehā is fluent in te reo Māori, addressed the crowd in Māori before saying thanks to his staff in English.
He thanked his patients for their love and trust and for sharing their lives with them.
He said he enjoyed hearing about grandchildren, sporting events, birthdays and other milestones - all the things that made being a GP extra special.
Rotorua GP Dr John Armstrong inside his infamous office. Photo / File
"I tried to retire several years ago but I missed you so much I came back. This time I will not be coming back. While there is sadness, I am excited about exploring the future without medicine."
He said he and Ata intended to explore New Zealand, make over their house, spend more time with family and live life on Rotorua's lakes where "fish will come to fear me".
