KAZEM FATHIE

KAZEM FATHIE, M.D. Kazem Fathie, M.D., 91, passed away April 19, 2020. He was a neurosurgeon, a poet, a man of great compassion, and a father. Born in 1928 in Tehran, Iran, he completed his Medical Degree shortly after losing his own father, moving to the U.S. in 1956. He interned at Chicago's Mt. Sinai Hospital, Lutheran Deaconess Hospital, and received his general surgical residency training at Harper Hospital in Detroit. He completed a neurosurgical residency (1958) at the Medical College of Virginia, followed by a Fellowship at the Sahlgrenska Institute (Goteborg, Sweden) under early neurosurgery innovator Dr. Gosta Norlen, then completed a Fellowship/Chief Residency in Neuro-surgery at Emory University's Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. He began his private practice in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he practiced neurosurgery solo for 16 years and was a member of Linn County Medical Society. He relocated to Las Vegas in 1979, where he practiced Neurosurgery until 2004. He held leadership positions in Clark County (President 1998) and Nevada Medical Societies and was an Associate Professor of the University of Nevada Medical School. He was a proud member of the American and International Colleges of Surgeons (ICSUS-President 2001) and the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopedic Surgery (AANOS), Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of the Academy's Journal 1994-2013. Dr. Fathie's role in AANOS paved the way for new medical board organizations challenging the ABMS to come to fruition. His neurosurgical innovations include Fathie Carotid Shunt and the development of the drug Skelaxin. His too numerous to list awards include Physician of the Year (1994), Harold Lee Feikes Award, Distinguished Man of the Year, Doctor of the Year Golden Gloves (twice) as a ringside boxing physician, Humanitarian Award for Rotary International (40 times), U.S. Section of the International College of Surgeons Recognition Award for his lifelong commitment and service to humanity, International Literary Poets Society Poet of the Year. He was an expert featured on television shows. He wrote over 28 books of poetry in Farsi, including an seven-volume Encyclopedia of the Poets of the Persian Empire, found on Amazon. His passing was premature due to lack of compassion for his family's powerful role in his survival. After finally making headway from a grueling four-month-long illness, he unfortunately died alone without his family. This event created the most significant pain this medical family has had to bear. Dr. Fathie's dedication to compassionate medicine was made clear during an address he made in 1998 when inducted as the Clark County Medical Society President, "... For as long as men and women have lived, the healing arts have been held sacred...That it is not knowledge that heals...The spark, in the healing arts, the spark that sets knowledge into motion is compassion." Unfortunately, he became a victim of abuse of power due to a lack of compassion, respect, understanding, and love, which he had always strived for in his life. Anyone fortunate to have ever known him or read his works truly understands the compassion that existed in this unique individual, best father, and husband of nearly 62 years, and it only fits for him to remembered on Father's Day. He is survived by his wife, Birgitta; children, Arman, Arezo and Ramin; four grandchildren, Noah, Alex, Aria, Ayla; two brothers, Akbar and Mehdi; and numerous cousins. Further information may be found on Fathie.com and YouTube.com- Fathie. An extended version of his obituary and messages to the family may be found at www. kraftsussman.com. Donations may be made to Three Square, 4190 N. Pecos Road, Las Vegas, NV 89115 or the Las Vegas Rotary Foundation, P.O. Box 15152, Las Vegas, NV 89114. The family asks for privacy in their grief. Due to Covid-19 lock down, a Celebration of Life has been postponed to be announced at a later date.