After serving patients for more than four decades, general practitioner Jacques Chaplier officially retired from his practice in Hotton, Belgium, concluding a career that began when he opened his clinic in 1979. Dr. Chaplier handled between 20 and 30 patient consultations per day at his office and during home visits, while also maintaining an extensive local political career that included a nine-year term as mayor of the municipality.
Decades of Community Medicine in Hotton
Dr. Chaplier established his medical practice in Hotton in 1979, initially operating out of a building later used by the local CPAS before relocating his clinic nearby. Born in the village of Warisy in Rendeux and trained at the University of Leuven and in Woluwe, his path to medicine started during his adolescence. A severe kidney ailment during his youth required treatment from Dr. Eschweiler, a general practitioner in Rendeux, whose attentive care inspired Chaplier to pursue the profession.
Throughout his career, Chaplier emphasized personal availability and home visits for patients unable to travel. His daily operations relied heavily on his wife, Chantal Thiry, a nurse who managed practice logistics, appointment scheduling, and secretarial duties from the clinic’s inception.
Balancing Medicine and Municipal Politics
Alongside his medical practice, Chaplier pursued a parallel career in local government, influenced by his maternal grandfather Edmond Collin, who served as communal secretary in Hodister. Following years spent serving on the municipal minority council, Chaplier was elected mayor of Hotton, a position he held for nine years while continuing to see patients.
Chaplier stepped down from local politics in 2021 after three particularly challenging years marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, severe regional flooding, and infrastructure projects involving the Hotton bridge. Reflecting on the transition, Chaplier acknowledged that stepping away was the correct decision after a demanding period.
Retirement Plans and Daily Routines
In retirement, Chaplier intends to focus on personal routines, including reading two daily newspapers, increasing his walking schedule, and attending matches of Standard Liège. He also plans to spend time with his three children and fifteen grandchildren, two of whom reside in Quebec. Despite closing his practice, Chaplier immediately encountered the enduring demands of his vocation when a tourist arrived at his doorstep seeking medical assistance shortly after his retirement announcement.
Keep reading