A Celebration of Radiant—and the Relationships That Endure
One of the most meaningful evenings of my Washington trip unfolded around a dinner table.
My co-author, Dr. Smitha Gollamudi, hosted a wonderful dinner at her home. Joining us were Dr. Akila Viswanathan and Dr. Stella Hetelekidis. I first knew all three women as residents. Seeing the accomplished radiation oncologists and leaders they have become is one of the great joys of my career.
Photo: Smitha and me with the advance reader copy.
We were also joined by the incredible Jennifer McCollum , CEO of Catalyst, and Urvashi Narain of the World Bank. We spent the evening sharing stories about the patients who shaped us, the mentors who believed in us, and the moments when we questioned whether we belonged. Those conversations reminded me how much of a life in medicine is carried in the relationships we build along the way.
Holding an advance reader copy of Radiant in their company was especially moving. Smitha and I had spent so much time putting our experiences into words. That evening brought the book’s themes—medicine, mentorship, and what endures—to life around her table.
Thank you, Smitha, for bringing us together and for an evening I will long remember.
Radiant: A Memoir of Medicine, Mentorship, and What Endures will be published by Koehler Books on January 5, 2027. Net author proceeds will support Pediatric Oncology at Mass General Brigham.