Brookfield health centre named after Dr. Y.K. Jeon

The health centre in Brookfield has been renamed in honour of a doctor who spentthree decades looking after patients in theBonavista north area.

The Brookfield/Bonnews Health Centre is now the Dr. Y.K. Jeon Health Centre.

• Look here for Land and Sea special on Dr. Jeon

Yong KeeJeon, 88, was born in North Korea, and cameto Newfoundland in 1966. He served the Brookfield regionfor many years.

"The man deserved it. It was a long time coming. He was an outstanding individual that needed every accolade we could bestow upon him," said area residentKen Hoyles.

"With all due respect for doctors who come to rural areas, they come for a year or so and they're off to bigger places....for someone like Dr. Jeon to come here, he raised his family and stayed for that length of time."

Hoyles spent the past six years lobbying for the health centre to change its name.

He said Jeon's commitment to his practice was second to none.

"His general working day was 10, 12 hours, and then after that he'd probably take the evening off and visit outpatients from Musgrave Harbour. Then he'd be the first one back in the office in the morning," said Hoyles.

"The time of the day didn't mean anything to him."

Although Jeonmoved to St. John's in his later life, Hoyles said hecontinues to be active and stay connected to the community.

Hoyles said the name change ceremony was well attended and Jeon himself was there to take part in the celebrations.

"He was ecstatic, he was emotional," said Hoyles.

"We weren't interested in doing this posthumously. We wanted to do it when he was alive and well and his family was around to take part in it all."