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Riaz FAROOKHI Obituary
Riaz Farookhi lived remarkably for three years subsequent to diagnosis of Glioblastoma Multiform (GBM). Pulmonary embolism on September 24th, 2013 ended his life at home with his wife, Marcia McKenzie, and two sons, William and Zain. Riaz had retired from McGill University Departments of Physiology and Obstetrics and Gynecology in August 2012.
Intelligence, love of science, humour, irreverence and enthusiasm for life are impressed in our memories of husband, father and friend.
Riaz was born in Hyderabad State 11 July 1944 and moved to Washington D.C. where his father was posted with the Indian Embassy, and upon Partition, the Pakistani Embassy. In 1953 the family immigrated to Karachi where Riaz attended the Grammar School before studying at MIT to earn a BS and MS in Chemical Engineering. He completed a PhD in Cell Biology and Anatomy at Tufts University and a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Michigan before coming to McGill in 1980.
Dr. Farookhi's research interests focused on the development of the ovarian follicle and the pathways of communication between the oocyte and the somatic cells of the follicle. Remembered as a demanding and stimulating professor, he will continue to challenge medical students as he donated his body to McGill.
He leaves his mother, Anwar (née Razvi) of Karachi, his sister Rehana Gardiner (Keith) of Uzumlu, Turkey and his brother Imtiaz (Bridget Fidler) of Newport Pagnell, UK, a niece and nephews. He was loved and will be missed by the extended McKenzie family and friends. Many found it difficult to see the effects of GBM but he had no regrets, and savored life to the end.
Riaz received excellent medical care at the Montreal Neurological Hospital and the McGill University Health Centre. The family is ever grateful for palliative care at home provided by the CLSC René-Cassin and Mount-Sinai Hospital.
Donations in memory of Riaz may be made to support research at the Montreal Neurological Institute (Giovanna Carafa: 514-398-8825) https://www.alumni.mcgill.ca/aoc/online- giving/step1.php?formtype=MNI&new=1; or palliative care at Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation (Ashley Levitt: 514-369-2222 #1299)
https://www.mountsinaifoundation.org/en/ donate-info.aspx
A celebration of Riaz's life will be held at a later date.
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