A Physician's Advocacy

This memoir details the life and career of Dr. Nady el-Guebaly, an early practitioner of addiction medicine and a pillar of healthcare in Canada.

Nady el-Guebaly was born in Egypt in 1941 to the sound of Axis forces bombing the ships anchored in the Gulf of Suez. In the following decades, more tumult would follow; during his formative years, el-Guebaly would also witness the Suez Crisis and the Six-Day War. Seeking to practice medicine and lay down roots, el-Guebaly would embark on an international journey that would span four continents and over fifty countries.

He first set off for France, his mother's birth country. His medical career and training then took him to the UK and eventually to Canada. In the latter, el-Guebaly would build a family, forge professional communities, and become a major influence on the emerging field of addiction medicine at a time when substance dependence was still seen as a sign of moral failing.

Even as el-Guebaly settled in Canada, he would set his eye to forging an international community of addiction experts. He would work with renowned researchers, clinicians, and advocates for destigmatizing addiction, including major international dignitaries.

The book details Dr. el-Guebaly's transition from working primarily as a medical practitioner to becoming a major voice in the development of addiction medicine, both on the Canadian and international stage. In the process, Dr. el-Guebaly offers a unique perspective on medicine, the history of addiction care, and international collaboration on the pressing issue of substance dependence.

Dr. el-Guebaly is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Calgary. He has presided over several associations, including the Canadian Psychiatric Association and the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine. He was the founding President of the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM), which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2023. Dr. el-Guebaly has contributed valuable knowledge in the emerging field of addiction medicine for over six decades; he has published over 280 peer-reviewed papers and spoken before hundreds of international audiences. He edited both editions of the ISAM's Textbook of Addiction Treatment: International Perspectives and has long served as the editor-in-chief of the Canadian Journal of Addiction. In 2017, Dr. el-Guebaly was appointed to the Order of Canada. He lives in Calgary, Alberta, with his wife Joan.For more information visit:

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