Physicians
Dr. Peter Cunniffe
Dr. Peter Cunniffe first came to Marathon as a resident physician in 2000 and became a permanent part of the team in 2001.
In addition to direct patient care, Peter has a keen interest in information technology and as such, is an active member of the IT committee which is, among other things, facilitating the transition from paper to electronic medical records. He is also the physician lead for the Marathon Family Health Team’s smoking cessation program and has been very involved in the “physician in the school” program at the local high school.
When not at work, Peter can be found spending time with his young family or engaged in physical activities including cross country skiing, hockey, running and cycling.
Dr. Mary Wilson
Born in Scotland and raised in High Prairie, Alberta, Dr. Mary Wilson has been a physician with Marathon Family Health Team since August 1999.
As a family physician, she is involved in direct patient care and is part of the asthma program committee and the social work and mental health committee. In the first years of the Marathon FHT she also provided support for the Registered Nurses and the Registered Practical Nurses in policy and service development.
As a mother of three, Mary also appreciates the collaborative nature of Marathon Family Health Team and the ability to balance her personal and professional lives. When not at MFHT, Mary enjoys spending time with her family, world travel, reading, cross country skiing, kayaking, camping, and swimming. The best thing about working at MFHT, according to Mary is the atmosphere and the team attitude that everyone displays.
Dr. Sarah Newbery
Hazelton, B.C. native, Dr. Sarah Newbery has worked as a physician at Marathon Family Health Team for over 10 years.
During her time as a physician at MFHT, Sarah has worked on some of the administrative and program development aspects of MFHT as a member of the Board of Directors. In addition to these office duties, Sarah has worked had hospital inpatient, emergency, and obstetrical duties.
Sarah has taken a special interest in obstetrics and chemotherapy services at Wilson Memorial General Hospital, as well as helping the MFHT Nursing Committee develop their current and future services.
“The opportunity to work with good people who are helping to create a healthier community is the best thing” about working at Marathon Family Health Team, according to Sarah.
Dr. Barb Zelek
Dr. Barb Zelek has been a physician at Marathon Family Health Team since 2002. Although she was raised in Toronto, she has fallen in love with the many beautiful, wilderness places around Marathon.
As well as the clinical and obstetrical services that she provides to the community, Barb is also the Learner Co-ordinator for the Northern Ontario Medical School, and is responsible for assisting medical students in reaching their goal of a career in medicine by not only providing formal teaching, but by also arranging clinical time at MFHT for them to gain some hands on experience.
Outside the clinic, Barb can be found spending time with the “ZeLake” (husband Ray Lake, and their children Molly and Kayo), playing volleyball, kayaking and cross country skiing. Barb is also known for her various artistic talents; namely beading, jewelry making and knitting.
Barb takes a great deal of pride in MFHT’s ‘innovative and progressive’ approach to medicine and attempts to live out the philosophy of balancing work, home and community.
Dr. Eliseo Orrantia
Dr. Eliseo “Eli” Orrantia began working as a physician in Marathon in 1996. While he considers Marathon his home, he was born in Sudbury, Ontario.
As a physician at MFHT, Eli has helped develop various patient programs in conjunction with the Registered Nurses such as a hypertension program and RN-INR management program. He is also a key member of the Evolution Committee, which helps to plan the course of the future for the team. Eli has also played a pivotal role in having a physician assistant join MFHT as part of a two year pilot program.
Eli’s personal interests are not just limited to the world of medicine, although describing himself as a “generalist”, he does admit to being interested in every aspect of medicine through the life cycle. When not at work, Eli can be found spending time with his family, playing volleyball, kayaking, fishing, cycling, and waiting for snow so he can indulge in some cross-country skiing.
When asked what the best thing about working at the Marathon Family Health Team was, Eli simply replied, “The people.”
Dr. Nancy Fitch
Dr. Nancy Fitch comes to Marathon Family Health Team from the heart of Muskoka, Bracebridge, Ontario.
In her seventh year as an Associate Physician at MFHT, Nancy is dedicated to being present in off-site patient appointments and providing great care. She is also known for making the best coffee in the office, messing up the office’s feng shui, and no matter what the issue may be in meetings, she will always try to come up with the most peaceful resolution (sometimes at the hands of promoting a low-carb snack or two.)
Nancy provides pre-natal and obstetrical services, and has recently begun administering trigger point injections to patients with chronic myofascial pain. In addition to these duties, she is also a strong advocate for excellent mental health services in Marathon as a member of MFHT’s social work committee.
Nancy’s favourite things about working at Marathon Family Health Team are working as a group and the feng shui of her office area.
Dr. Scott Wilson
Burlington, Ontario native Dr. Scott Wilson has been a family physician at Marathon Family Health Team since August 1999.
During his time here, Scott has done a combination of both clinical and administrative work, with his clinical work encompassing not just Marathon Family Health Team and Wilson Memorial General Hospital, but the Pic River First Nations Health Centre as well, where he provided off-site care to members of the community who perhaps were unable to make the trip into Marathon to see him.
Scott also has many interests outside the clinic including providing cardiac stress testing at WMGH, medical informatics, and is an avid cross-country skier and triathlete. He is also helping MFHT move into the digital age by working diligently on changes that have accompanied the change to electronic medical records.
To Scott, the best thing about MFHT is that he is able to work with a multidisciplinary team with the prospect of expansion of the health care services that we provide to the community.