Paul Kalanithi A neurologist who later became a patient Date of Birth: 01.04.1977 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Education
2. Medical Career
3. Living with Cancer
4. Writing and Sharing
5. Impact of Writing
6. Legacy
7. Paul Kalanithi passed away at the age of 38 on March 8, 2015.

Early Life and Education

Paul Kalanithi, MD, PhD, was a neurosurgeon who later became a patient. He was born in New York City but moved with his family to Kingman, Arizona when he was 10 years old. As an undergraduate at Stanford University, Paul majored in English literature, biology, and human biology, graduating in 2000. After receiving his bachelor's and master's degrees in English literature, he pursued his medical degree at Yale School of Medicine. Paul graduated from Yale with honors in 2007, where he met his future wife and fellow medical student, Lucy Goddard. They married in 2006.

Medical Career

After Yale, Paul returned to Stanford for his neurosurgery residency and a PhD in neuroscience. He published over 20 scientific papers and was recognized by the American Academy of Neurological Surgery. However, in his sixth year of residency, Paul began experiencing significant weight loss, night sweats, back pain, and a cough. In May 2013, Paul, who had never smoked a cigarette, was diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer with somatic mutations in the EGFR gene.

Living with Cancer

Initially, Paul was devastated and even encouraged his wife to remarry after his death. However, the cancer responded to treatment and he regained his strength. Paul returned to work in late 2013. The couple decided to have a child, and their daughter, Elizabeth Arcadia "Cady" Kalanithi, was born on July 4, 2014.

Writing and Sharing

Alongside returning to surgical practice, Paul began sharing his reflections on his illness and medicine. He wrote essays that were published in The New York Times and The Paris Review. He also became a sought-after speaker for the media and public events.

Impact of Writing

Despite a recurrence in the spring of 2014, Paul continued to speak out and work on his book. His essays were met with an outpouring of gratitude. Readers included young people whose parents had died from cancer, adults who had faced similar experiences, and educators who shared his story with their students.

Paul wrote: "I was simply amazed by how many people resonated with what I'd written. To this day, I receive emails almost every day from those grappling with heartache, depression, or other illness, saying that my essays have clarified their own situations."

Legacy

Dr. Kalanithi lived out the values he wrote about. Despite his grim diagnosis, he found joy in laughter, family, friends, and colleagues. He spent time in nature and played football. Paul helped raise awareness about lung cancer and won the Chris Draft Family Foundation prize, which sent him and his family to the 2015 Super Bowl in Arizona.

In his final months, Paul worked with VJ Periyakoil, MD, assistant professor of medicine and chief of the Stanford Palliative Care Program, on an educational module.

Periyakoil said: "The module will teach lessons that Paul himself learned through his dual journey as neurosurgeon and cancer patient. We talked about what it means to be a physician who is in control and has agency, and to be a patient who is out of control and vulnerable."

Paul Kalanithi passed away at the age of 38 on March 8, 2015.

Dr. Gary Steinberg, MD, PhD, chair of neurosurgery at Stanford, said: "Paul's sudden illness and untimely passing have devastated us all. Paul was with us for seven years, an integral part of our neurosurgery community. We are grieving as if we have lost a member of our family."

Paul's widow, Lucy Goddard, MD, MPH, is a clinical instructor at Stanford.