A hero of Robert’s father, Wilfred Grenfell was an unconventional man-of-action motivated by deep spiritual beliefs. One of his mottos was: “To believe is to do.” He was a British medical doctor and missionary, best known for his service in Newfoundland and Labrador from 1892 to 1934. In order to raise money for his work, Grenfell gave public lectures and wrote books describing his stirring adventures. His story of harrowing survival with a team of sled dogs after an accident at sea, Adrift on an Ice Flow, is now regarded as a classic of Canadian literature. Robert depicts Grenfell as a small figure in a kayak; the remote northern landscape with a drifting iceberg adds a hint of danger. The doctor is on his way to see a patient who lives far away from roads or airports.

Robert created this image of a heroic historical doctor while working on the Illness and Healing series, which depicts much less glamorous scenes from contemporary hospitals.