The Case Western Symposium

 

Symposium-9-19-2025

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The Case Cancer Center of Case Western University served as the host for 2025’s review of progress for the Khatib Foundation’s glioblastoma projects. Each particiating center contributed to the presentations on advancements in brain tumor research. Dr. Khatib attended the symposium and presented his own comments at its conclusion:

Dr. Khatib’s Closing Comments (5 minutes)
 

The text of Dr. Khatib’s Comments:
 
“Ladies and Gentlemen: I knew a musician who had a wonderful career as a piano soloist, and when age made his own traveling and performing difficult, he became a successful orchestra conductor. His purpose in life had grown behind making music himself to encouraging and supporting others. He loved music and never stopped making it.
 
My profession has been medicine, and my most important fight against GBM and other brain illness. So, in retirement, my purpose became at use the fruits of my career, to become a way to support and help coordinate your work as you continue this important flight.
 
I am honored by and grateful for the music you are makin!
 
The Khatib Foundation’s story began 18 years ago in the holy Persian city of Mashhad. As a boy of 10, I learned from my parents that he greatly admired public official had suffered an epidural hemotoma. It claimed his life. That event started me on my past to Tehran Medical School, to neurosurgery, and the United States.
 
For sixty years I have been fighting the war against glioblastoma multiforme and other brain illness. As a practicing surgeon and hospital administrator I repeatedly felt the pain, anguish, and frustration of patiets and of colleagues as GBM claimed lives and families.
 
My late wife Georgiana and I initiated the Khatib Foundation to develop endowments that would support in perpetuity some of our profession’s best and brightest, working collaboratively to end GBM. Georgiana passed away 3 years ago. I often recall her tremendous capacity for empathy and her ability to relate to people of many faiths, so it is especially gratifying to see the international and multi disciplinary body of professionals that have brought their varied skills to the fight!
 
I thank Case Comprehensive Cancer Center for hosting this symposium. Thank you Dr. Gersan, and Dr. Latia. And special thanks to Dr. Sina, Amahde, for organizing this event. I thank Dr. Henry Brem of John Hopkins, a valued Khatib Foundation Trustee. Also Dr. Charlotte Shum, also a foundation trustee. Herlate husband, Dr. Andy Parsa, honored us as a foundation’s first endowed chairperson at University of California.
 
I have no doubt you and those who follow report at end to GPM. And I ask you to join me, remembering within your own life stories, the departed souls who may have guided you and assisted you personally. Most of us owe much of who we are to who they were. Their inspiration can remain with us and can it move us as long as we remember them and what they get to us!”

The scheduled presenters and attendees for the half-day symposium,
and planned schedule of events, were as follows:
 

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