MemorialCare Health System Cancer Specialist Receives Celebration of Life Medical Honoree Award from American Cancer Society

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. – MemorialCare Health System Radiation Oncologist Alam Nisar M. Syed, MD, radiation oncologist at the MemorialCare Cancer Institute at MemorialCare Orange Coast, Saddleback and Long Beach Medical Centers, received the 2017 Celebration of Life Medical Honoree award from the American Cancer Society, Orange County Regional Council, at its gala, Celebration of Life: Hope Grows in Orange County, on September 30th in Irvine.

“We are extremely proud of Dr. Syed,” explains Marcia Manker, CEO of MemorialCare Orange Coast and Saddleback Medical Centers. “He possesses every character trait you aspire to have in a clinician: skill, tenacity, compassion, leadership and dedication. We are grateful to have him on our team and congratulate him on receiving this esteemed honor.”

The Celebration of Life Medical Honoree award is presented to a high-profile individual in the community that has a close connection to cancer, and continues to give back to the community in his/her area of expertise or interest. Dr. Syed was recognized for his clinical contributions to the field of radiation oncology and commitment to delivering compassionate patient care.

“Dr. Syed was at the top of our list when it came time to select who we should honor in the medical field who has truly made an impact in Orange County,” said Kristen Thompson, executive director of community development at the American Cancer Society, West Region. “It was a great honor to present Dr. Syed with this award at the Celebration of Life gala for his many years of dedication and support to the Cancer community not only in Southern California but worldwide.”

Dr. Syed is recognized as one of the international pioneers of modern brachytherapy. As an assistant professor at USC Medical School, Dr. Syed developed a number of revolutionary brachytherapy procedures for prostate, breast, rectum, and cervical cancer. These procedures have become the international standard of care in the use of brachytherapy treatments. He has devoted much of his time to the training of physicians around the world, as well as the training of residents from USC, UC Irvine, UCLA, Loma Linda University, Stanford and other medical schools.

He is the founder of the American Brachytherapy Society and has served as its secretary, program chair, lecturer and president. Dr. Syed is the founding editor-in-chief for the Journal of Brachytherapy International. Dr. Syed has also served as the chancellor and vice-chair of the American College of Radiation Oncology and as chairman of the Radiation Oncology Committee of the Indo-American Cancer Society.

“This is an incredible honor that I feel compelled to share with the courageous individuals who I have truly been privileged to help,” said Dr. Syed. “I feel that these patients, who I consider family, deserve this honor because they inspire me every day with their amazing courage and passion for life.”

For more information about the MemorialCare Cancer Institute, please log on to memorialcare.org/cancer.