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Naseri committed to cancer message, research by Cindy Abole Public Relations Fourth year COM student Iman Naseri always knew he’d find his niche with a career in the scientific world. He wasn’t sure of his direction until this chemistry honors student from USC experienced the fear of cancer within his family. Iman Naseri demonstrates a throat screening on  head and neck cancer screening participant Ashley Sabo. With him is first year COM student Rachel Zweigoron.  It was at that time when he learned his sister, then 16 years old, was diagnosed with oral cancer at the base of her tongue. He had the chance to witness a portion of her care and recovery at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. What he saw really impressed him. So in 1999 as he began his first-year of medical school at MUSC, he approached Head and Neck Oncology surgeon Terry Day, M.D., about volunteering with the Yul Brynner Head and Neck Cancer Foundation, a program that Day helped establish and maintain since 1997. Naseri was recognized for his time and devotion as one of six most outstanding student volunteers chosen for the achievement and reported volunteer hours served during the 2002-2003 academic year. Naseri logged more than 200 hours and was selected above other College of Medicine students.  “Iman has been an unselfish contributor to the Yul Brynner Head and Neck Cancer Foundation (YBF) and its cancer survivor network,” said Terry Day, M.D., associate professor of Otolaryngology and director of Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery. “He has been instrumental in the development and maintenance of the Web site in addition to his countless hours of volunteerism helping to coordinate the annual Oral and Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week throughout his time here at MUSC.” “I wanted to devote my interests to understanding and treating head and neck cancers and awareness,” said Naseri, who will be graduating in May and matched to participate in a five-year residency at Emory University’s Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.  Borrowing from his experience in Charleston, he hopes to initiate a YBF Head and Neck Cancer chapter in Atlanta. “I want to be involved in spreading the word about the dangers of smoking and risks involved for head and neck cancer, plus promote research,” Naseri said. Naseri helped build the local and national YBF Web site and monitored information about health screenings, research, etc. for chapters in 15 U.S. states and internationally.  In between his volunteering, he secured a summer grant position to conduct outcomes research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York in 2000.  “Despite having numerous commitments and obligations to his studies, research, community service and help with YBF, he has continued to maintain his thoughtful and giving personality to his friends and family around him,” Day said. “I look forward to many years of success from Iman in his career and community involvement.”   COM volunteers logged 3,661 hours for Gives Back “I work as a camp counselor for girls ages 14 to 16 for Camp Happy Days, a camp for children with cancer. I have been going to camp for the past 17 years. I started off as a camper and now I am a counselor and get to ‘give back,’ volunteering 168 hours.” —Catherine Elizabeth Dawson, Camp Happy Days Second year COM student “I was set up through Circular Congregational Church to being tutoring algebra, geometry and SAT math to a student at Burke High School. After our first session, I stayed afterward and prepared a take-home SAT diagnostic math test for him to take during my spring break.” —Edward Holt, Burke High School Second year COM student “For the past year my wife and I have been teaching a retired man how to read. She goes twice a week for two hours and I fill in for her when my schedule allows.” -Will Lowrance, Trident Literacy Association Fourth year COM student   Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.