Father's Day in Fitchburg: A family medical legacy that spans generations
FITCHBURG — Sitting in an office he called a “nuclear bunker,” a funny take on a small space that is likely the final landing spot in Dr. Robert Babineau Jr.'s medical career, the lifelong Fitchburg resident reflected on a lot of things: work, his passion for sports memorabilia, his obsession with a certain type of shoe, and most importantly, his late father, Robert Babineau Sr.
Father and son have a lot in common. Not only do they share the same name, but they also devoted their lives to family medicine. In fact, a Babineau has practiced medicine in Fitchburg for the past 72 years.
Babineau Sr. died nine years ago, and his son, who learned so much from his father, thinks about him every day.
It will be no different this Father’s Day.
'Pioneer'
That is the word Babineau used to describe his dad, who was one of a handful of doctors in the mid-1960s who went through an exhaustive process of slogging through bureaucratic channels to get family medicine classified nationally as a specialty, much like cardiology, dermatology and anesthesiology.
In 1976, despite resistance from hospital leadership, Babineau Sr. was instrumental in establishing the first family practice residency program at UMass, housed at the former Burbank Hospital in Fitchburg. It continues to this day, in a building with Babineau Sr.'s name on it on the UMass HealthAlliance campus in Fitchburg.
“His vision was to train the residents at a community hospital, which was unheard of then,” said Babineau Jr.
Also in 1976, a fresh-faced doctor joined the effort to get that residency program humming. That young doctor was Babineau Jr., who also joined his father’s family practice in Fitchburg. The two worked together for 10 years until the father retired in 1986.
“Those were 10 wonderful years,” said Babineau Jr. “I learned a lot from him.”
Father-son stories
When a son follows in his father’s footsteps, and spends all those years working together, there are stories to tell.
When Babineau joined his father’s practice, dad was “kind of sneaky” as he sometimes inched closer to his son’s examination rooms. The younger Babineau assumed some of his father’s patients, and dad just wanted to make sure they were getting quality care.
There was also the time when the elder Babineau accidentally cut off the tip of his finger while woodworking. Babineau Jr. got a call from his dad, who wanted to know what to do.
“I told him to put it on ice and go to the emergency room. It was reattached and he continued woodworking. But I told him no more amputations.”
Attentive father
Babineau Sr. had seven children and despite a busy schedule, he made sure to be ever-present for his kids.
“He was always there when it counted,” said Babineau Jr., and sometimes those moments that counted were mixed with humor and a bit of hard reality. Like the time Babineau Sr. snuck into his son Timothy’s medical school class while the students were dissecting frogs.
“He leaned over Tim’s shoulder and said, ‘You better not become a surgeon,’” said Babineau Jr.
Not only did Timothy become a surgeon, he was president and chief executive officer at Lifespan, the largest hospital system in Rhode Island, until he resigned last year.
Babineau legacy
Besides teaching his son the importance of listening to patients and getting to know them as people, the elder Babineau’s legacy is one of generational love for medicine. Especially family medicine, as his passion for the craft was passed down to his son, who then passed it on to his children.
Babineau’s daughter, Sarah, practices family medicine in Seattle. His son, Matthew, deviated a bit. He works in emergency medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire.
“I never remember dad saying, ‘You should be a doctor,’” said Babineau. “I did the same thing with my kids. I saw that my father enjoyed it, and my kids saw that I enjoyed it.”
What's the plan for Father's Day?
Since Sarah and Matthew are busy with life and can’t get back to Fitchburg to be with dad on Father's Day, Babineau planned some electronic FaceTime with both of them on the big day. He's fine with it, because his children are happy, charting their own course in life.
They’ve also given him four grandchildren.
“Every day is Father’s Day,” he said.
What's next?
After more than 40 years in private practice, Babineau joined the UMass Memorial system five years ago because he didn’t want to spend the $300,000 it would have taken to computerize his practice.
Today, at age 75, Babineau helps young doctors get experience, and still takes calls from some former patients. Basically, he fills in when needed, working two days a week.
He’s got plenty to keep him busy after he officially retires at the end of this year. There’s golf, which he admitted he’s not very good at. He’s also moving his sports memorabilia gallery in Princeton to downtown Fitchburg, which should open in September.
Babineau also has his signature shoes, wearing the same style, a combination saddle and golf shoe, since he was a junior in college. The pair on his feet, with no socks, looked rather worn.
“I bought 10 pairs, for $300 each, 12 years ago. I have one pair left for special occasions.”
Always remembers dad
Leaning back in his office chair, Babineau gazed at plenty of reminders of his father that hung on the wall. One photo showed the Dr. R. Babineau Sr. Family Wellness Building in Fitchburg.
"It's one of the nicest community health centers in the country, and one of the best residency programs in the country. In Fitchburg. It's a miracle," said Babineau.
As Babineau's legacy lives on in Fitchburg, New Hampshire and Seattle, it also settled in Korea. A framed letter on Babineau's office wall from the mayor of Seoul thanked Babineau Sr. for establishing a children’s orphanage in the South Korean capital while he served in the Army during the Korean War.
The legacy doesn't end there.
Before Babineau died 2014, he received a letter from a man who was a child in the Korean orphanage. He suffered from tuberculosis in the orphanage, and thanked Babineau for saving his life. A life that made him a grandfather, with many family members who became doctors.
“An amazing story,” said Babineau.
Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter: @henrytelegram.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Babineau family has created a medical legacy in Fitchburg, Mass.
