In his 37 years, Paul Kalanithi wore many hats. Near the end of his neurosurgical training at Stanford, he was diagnosed with widely metastatic lung cancer. He wrote a memorable Op-Ed piece for the NY Times in January 2014. He continued working when he could. He and his wife, Dr. Lucy Goddard Kalanithi, had baby Cady on July 4, 2014.
A palliative care colleague wrote: “His ‘dual citizenship’ as a doctor and as a seriously ill patient taught him that respectful communication is the bedrock of all medicine. We [came to] understand that the so-called soft skills of medicine are the truly hard skills to teach and to learn.”
Too few of us, these days, have the gift of time. Spending a few moments with Paul Kalanithi will be worthwhile. If you can take the time, start with the video produced at Stanford.
Some resources:
NY Times Op-Ed. How Long Have I Got Left? January 24, 2014
Stanford Magazine (March 11, 2013), Paul Kalanithi, writer and neurosurgeon, dies at 37
Stanford Magazine Podcast (February 25, 2013). Days are long, years are short: Paul Kalanithi on time.
A.E. Housman. To An Athlete Dying Young
There are many more…