Norman “Norm” Coleman, MD, passed away on March 1 at 79 after a battle with sarcoma. He was diagnosed in December 2023 and continued to work full time following his diagnosis.
Dr. Coleman was an internationally recognized researcher, scientist, leader, and pioneer in radiation therapy. During his career, he held positions at Stanford University, Harvard Medical School, and the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
He worked with the NCI until his passing. Most recently, he was the associate director for the Radiation Research Program and senior investigator in the Radiation Oncology Branch in the Center for Cancer Research. Additionally, he was senior medical advisor in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Dr. Coleman had a passion for addressing health care disparities and their effect on cancer care quality. To further support this passion, he founded the nonprofit organization International Cancer Expert Corps (ICEC) in 2013. ICEC mentors cancer care providers in low- and middle-income countries, as well as those in upper-income countries working with indigenous populations.
Throughout his lifetime, Dr. Coleman received countless awards, published a book with his wife, and became a triathlete.
“Dr. Coleman was an extraordinary man who served admirably his family, his patients, his profession, and the institutions for which he has worked,” Nina Wendling, executive director of ICEC, said in an obituary. “Beyond that he has served well his country and many other parts of the world. Norm’s commitment to serving others, his generosity of spirit, and his occasionally disarming wit that made him so endearing will be missed profoundly.”
