An Amazing Human, Accomplished Surgeon and Humble Lung Cancer Hero

My lung cancer hero is Dr. Brendon Stiles. Dr. Stiles is chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery and Surgical Oncology at Montefiore Medical Center. I have known Dr. Stiles for seven years and have never met a kinder, more compassionate clinician in my entire life. He is such an accomplished thoracic surgeon, but he is so humble and generous with his time. He is a true asset to the lung cancer community.

Dr. Stiles is always thinking about his patients and others in the community (caregivers, family). He has built relationships with his patients that are truly personal for him. Beyond those relationships, he is engaged on social media with the broader community of patients with lung cancer, lung cancer advocates, caregivers and pharmaceutical company employees who are working to bring treatments to patients. He never says no to any introduction or to meeting new people; he is so generous with his time.

Much of his generosity is spent during his personal time because he just never says no, even though he has a wife and beautiful children he adores. His kindness and generosity cannot be overlooked. This is a brilliant, amazing human who gets pulled in many directions because people want to connect with him. He is relentless on social media, engaging with other clinicians in serious discussions about lung cancer care and protocols and also with patients who are drawn to his empathy and compassion.

I am a lung cancer survivor who was treated in Boston. If I lived in New York City, there is one surgeon I would have sought out: Dr. Stiles. There is something special about him, and you know it when you see it. Good guy, nice person, smart, brilliant, kind, thoughtful, compassionate, eager to help, generous — all of the qualities that make him an amazing clinician and lung cancer hero. He deserves to be recognized for his commitment to this community.

I know many lung cancer oncologists/surgeons and have had many on my podcast, “The Research Evangelist.” But the first guest I had, of all I could have chosen, was Dr. Stiles. He is the amazing human that I wanted to showcase to the universe.

If you don’t know him, you should. You will benefit from knowing him. I am honored to nominate Brendon as my lung cancer hero.

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