Obituary of Kazem Fathie

Kazem Fathie, M.D., 91-year-old passed away April 19, 2020, a Neurosurgeon, a Poet, a man of great accomplishments, a man of greater compassion, a legend, and a father. Born in 1928 in Tehran, Iran, he completed his Medical Degree shortly after his father passed away and before moving to the U.S. in 1956 to pursue further studies. He interned at Chicago's Mt. Sinai Hospital, including four months at Lutheran Deaconess Hospital, and received his general surgical residency training at Harper Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. 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 was followed by Fellowship/Chief Residency in Neurosurgery at Emory University's Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. After extensive training, he began his private practice in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he practiced neurosurgery solo for 16 years at St. Lukes and Mercy hospitals, where he led the neurosurgery departments. He was active in all social and medical groups while in Iowa, including the Linn County Medical Society. He has created many innovative neurosurgical techniques, including the Cranio-Plasty Plate and the Fathie Carotid Shunt. He served as principal investigator in the development of the medication Skelaxin. He relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada 1979, where he was active in practicing Neurosurgery and contributing much to the Las Vegas community. He held leadership positions in Clark County (President 1998) & Nevada Medical Societies. He was an Associate Professor at the University of Nevada Medical School. He was a proud member of the American & 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. Due to his foresight, the annual meetings of these two organizations have been held together for over 15 years and it would be difficult to argue that neither would have survived this long without the relationship he fostered and led to a major bequest donation by Dr. Serrato to the Dr. John Scott Surgical Endowment Fund. Dr. Fathie's role in AANOS paved the way for new Medical Board organizations challenging the ABMS as the only recognized board organization in the nation. His too numerous to list awards include Las Vegas Physician of the Year (1994), Nevada State Medical Society Physician of the Year (1995), Harold Lee Feikes Award (1994), Distinguished Man of the Year, Doctor of the Year Golden Gloves (1987 and 1989) as a ringside boxing physician, Humanitarian Paul Harris Award for Rotary International (40 times), United States 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 (1998). He was an expert featured on medical news television shows such as "You and the World of Medicine" series. He served as editor-in-chief for several journals and medical contributor to others. He wrote over 28 books of poetry in Farsi, including a seven-volume Encyclopedia of the Poets of the Persian Empire, found on Amazon. During his early youth, he was drawn to poetry and the beauty of his native Farsi. He amassed a large body of work written under an oil lamp or a single lamp-post outside his home. He began to recite his poetry on Tehran Radio and became well regarded. Most of those works were lost and never found again when he returned to Iran after his medical training. Despite maintaining a demanding medical practice for 46 years, Dr. Fathie could often be observed in a quiet corner of the house, hospital, or office writing intently on the nearest piece of blank paper, his mind enveloped for the moment by the call of an inner voice. He honored his children and grandchildren in his literary publications using their names in the titles of the books. Both an autobiography and a biography of his life has been written. The third volume of his book Last Reflections has been written but is yet to be published. Dr. Fathie's sensitivity and moral integrity is evident throughout his writings, cleverly weaving words around topics such as homelessness, poverty, deceit, regret, aging, nature, family, romance, and, of course, love. Like in his poetry, his death came with the twists, turns, and agony that so often caused his aggravation with injustice in this world. His passing was premature due to complications involving a lack of compassion for his family's influential role in his survival. After finally starting novel treatment for a grueling four-month-long illness, he died alone without his family at his side. This event is the most significant pain this medical family has to bear, that the profession he loved so much also failed him. Dr. Fathie's dedication and commitment to the practice of compassionate medicine was demonstrated well during an address that he made in 1998 during a Clark County Medical Society conference when he was inducted as the CCMS President, "... For as long as men and women have lived, the healing arts have been held sacred. Whether one speaks of a medicine man, a shaman, a midwife or a country doctor, the paradigm of medicine rests on the unique blend of compassion and knowledge, in ancient times imbued with what we might look upon today as superstitious magic or unempirical folk medicine. Consider the dynamic interplay at work, and a revealing truth becomes clear. That it is not knowledge that heals, for knowledge is a neutral factor in any equation. It may be used for positive or negative ends. The spark, in the healing arts, the spark that sets knowledge into motion is compassion." During his inauguration as 2001 ICSUS President, he made the following poignant observation, "The true measure of my involvement (in medicine) lies in the human ties that bind me together with all of you as we continue to promote our commonly held professional, educational, and humanitarian beliefs." Unfortunately, in the end, he became a victim of abuse of power and the lack of compassion, respect, understanding, and love that he had always strived for in his life. He would have wanted people to continue to fight for patient advocacy and for what is right. Anyone fortunate to have ever read his works of literature truly understands the compassion that existed in this unique individual who will be missed by all who knew him. He was a self-taught musician who loved to sing, play the Santour, and recite poetry. He loved to maintain his extensive garden and was called at times the "Tree Surgeon". He was never without a whimsical joke or story and routinely entertained colleagues, friends, and family. He was a warm, humble, generous, and loving individual who touched many lives while he was with us. He was the best father and husband of nearly 62 years. He is survived by his wife, Birgitta, three children Arman, Arezo, & Ramin, four grandchildren Noah, Alex, Aria, & Ayla, 2 brothers Akbar and Mehdi, and numerous cousins. Further information about Dr. Fathie may be found on Fathie.com and YouTube.com - Fathie. Messages to the family may be posted on the Kraft Sussman website, www. kraftsussman.com. Donations may be made to Three Square 4190 N. Pecos Road, LV, NV 89115, or the Las Vegas Rotary Foundation, P.O. Box 15152, LV, NV 89114. The family asks for privacy in their grief. Due to the Covid 19 lockdown, a Celebration of Life has been postponed and will be announced at a later date.