Dr. Azra Raza also emphasized in her lectures at LUMS that cancer care should no longer be reactive but rather preventive and inclusive.
Dr. Azra Raza, author, global authority on cancer, and professor at Columbia University, once postulated that ‘There is no winner in the war against cancer,’ which especially resonated with the audience at LUMS during her talks of 20th through 22nd November. She goes on to quote eminent figures in literature such as Mirza Ghalib, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, and Emily Dickinson to bring in the elements of science, poetry as well as the indomitable human spirit. Dr. Raza contested the ways of thinking that have been taken for granted by most, pushing for proactive prevention rather than reactive care. In spite of the fact that cancer research has cost trillions of dollars, she did acknowledge, however, that the treatment continues to follow the ‘slash, poison and burn’ paradigm.
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In a joint session with her, Dr. Stavroula Kousteni, Dr. Raza insisted that the paradigm must shift to one that is fully addressed to the patient where the disease will be diagnosed from its very first cell inception. Such themes are explored in depth in her book, The First Cell, which asserts an unflinching polemic against conventional treatment. Again, Dr. Raza illustrated empathy, art, and science as strands of a web with unrelenting questions of purpose such as climate change tackled in verse. She advanced that, “Poetry is not only possible at this time, it is the necessary gas to lift our weighed down spirits.”
The audience was motivated by her performance of classical Urdu pieces to open up and explore their language and culture once again. She advised the attendees on the significance of Urdu literature and its ability to help on matters of the heart. While citing the worth of human endeavors, she distinguished between art and science – the former being an individual’s pursuit and the latter a collective undertaking. The sessions were coordinated by key initiatives of LUMS and moderated by LUMS faculty members, such as Drs. Basit Bilal Koshul, Ali Usman Qasmi, Shaper Mirza, and Fatima Fayyaz.
Dr. Raza’s lectures attracted a variety of people present – including, and considering the possibility of, live stream – businesses, elite writers, and other important personas all across Lahore. Her sessions challenged the participants for a radical rethink on the practice and the practice of tackling the fierce challenges that life poses and did so by reawakening love for the Urdu term and the convergence of science and art in addressing urgent matters.
Conclusion: Dr. Azra Raza’s oratory at LUMS effectively pronounced the message that preventative cancer care is possible by emphasizing a proactive care model that places the patient at the center as well as that such levels of tension are functional in the reconciliation of art and science.