It is rare that an ABC movie of the week endures. Buzz Kulick’s 1971 Brian’s Song is the notable exception. IMDB describes the movie as a “beloved tearjerker,” which portrays the friendship between Chicago Bears teammates Gale S…
Category: Oncology/Hematology
A terminal disease intercepted by modern medicine
I have been a physician for over forty years, with an office practice and providing geriatric house calls in our community. Now, I am also a caregiver. My partner, Robin, was diagnosed with a rare malignancy in November 2022, known as anaplastic thyroi…
How a single act of kindness can transform the world
Since I was a child, I have despised the words “May you live long.” I felt like it was a curse. My younger brother, who knows my thoughts, used to joke, “Allah kre tumhari itni lambi umar ho, tum marne ko tarso!” (May Allah bles…
Why rural America’s health care crisis is getting worse—and what it means for retirees [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! We sit down with Banu Symington, a hematology-oncology physician, to explore a looming health care crisis affecting rural America. As more retirees move to rural communiti…
I spent years rebelling against my father—until I realized I was exactly like him
I am 31, and my dad turned 54 this year. He had me when he was just 23 years old. I was born in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan, and he came from a small village in Punjab. He is a self-made man who struggled all his life to give his children a…
Why prayers alone couldn’t save my friend from cancer
I was raised in the Catholic Church. The solemn, reserved, respectful quiet as the priest whispered out his occasional reverent chants. That’s what I knew. That was the only thing I grew to love of the Catholic faith. This friend of mine. We met …
The unlikely friendship between a young doctor and an elderly scholar
He is 75 years old, and I am 30. Wondering how we met? It was a very casual meeting in a park. I live in a four-story building with numerous flats. There is a long walking and jogging track and a playground in front of my building. On the opposite side…
A patient gave me the best gift of my life
I’m at a loss for words—how can someone give something so beautiful to a complete stranger who is nothing more than a doctor? I first met him a year ago when he was referred to us by the neurosurgery department following his brain tumor surgery. …
The heartbreaking reality of smoking: a daughter’s final goodbye
Fred was the cool guy. Back in the 1950s and 60s, smoking cigarettes was considered movie star quality. That circling of smoke in his parked car with the girl of his dreams. He started smoking at the tender age of 15. Fred had it figured out. Cigarette…
Closing the colorectal cancer screening gap: the need for clear guidance on the use of new screening options
As a practicing gastroenterologist, I never want to say to a patient: “You have advanced colon cancer.” Just last week, I discovered an early colon cancer in an asymptomatic patient who was referred to me after a positive result on a non-in…
