One of Orange County CyberKnife & Radiation Oncology Center’s (OCCROC) premier cancer specialists will receive the 2017 Celebration of Life Medical Honoree Award from the American Cancer Society at a gala on Sept. 30 in Irvine, Calif. Alam Nisar M. Syed, M.D. is a board certified radiation oncologist at OCCROC and also serves on staff at area hospitals. The annual gala is organized by the American Cancer Society Orange County Regional Council and this year is titled, “Celebration of Life: Hope Grows in Orange County.”

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. Orange County CyberKnife’s Administrative Director, Priti Nagar said Dr. Syed will be recognized for his clinical contributions to the field of radiation oncology and commitment to delivering compassionate patient care.

“We share in Dr. Syed’s excitement in being selected for this prestigious award and are honored to join him in celebrating this recognition,” Nagar said. “Not only has he pioneered cancer treatment breakthroughs, Dr. Syed has spent his career passing on his knowledge to other physicians around the world. Cancer patients at Orange County CyberKnife continue to benefit from Dr. Syed’s knowledge, skill and compassionate care.”

Kirsten Thompson, the executive director of community development at the American Cancer Society, West Region, said that Dr. Syed rose quickly to the top of the list when they considered medical field personnel who have really impacted Orange County patients.

“It will be an 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,” Thompson said.

Dr. Syed is recognized as one of the international pioneers of modern brachytherapy, one of the many radiation treatment options available at Orange County CyberKnife. 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.  

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.

“This is an incredible honor that I feel compelled to share with the courageous individuals who I have truly been privileged to help,” Dr. Syed said. “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.”

Tickets are still on sale for the Sept. 30 Celebration of Life Gala gala where guests will enjoy a unique, upscale event complete with live entertainment, dinner, dancing, auctions and other special attractions.

The American Cancer Society is working to finish the fight against every cancer in every community. It is the largest private, not-for-profit funder of cancer research in the United States, investing more than $4 billion since 1946. Thanks in part to contributions, more than 1.5 million lives have been saved in the US in the past two decades.

Besides CyberKnife Radiosurgery, OCCROC offers a variety of radiation treatment therapies for patients diagnosed with all types of cancer. With so many treatment options under one roof, Dr. Syed and other radiation oncologists can assess each patient’s individual situation and prepare a cancer treatment plan that will best fit each person’s needs and desires. To learn more about the types of cancer treatment available at OCCCROC, call (714) 962-7100 today to schedule a consultation!