Neuroscientist Chaudhri, dead at 43
Nadia Chaudhri, a neuroscientist with terminal ovarian cancer who used her final months to raise money for graduate students of diverse backgrounds and to educate the public about her disease through a widely followed social media chronicle, died, Oct. 5, at a hospital in Montreal. She was 43.
Her husband, Moni Orife, confirmed her death.
Chaudhri, a professor at Concordia University in Montreal, was in palliative care at Royal Victoria Hospital when she wrote on Twitter, in August, that she would be embarking on a walk-a-thon: pacing her hospital floor each day in a fundraising appeal for minority, female, LGBTQ and other students from underrepresented backgrounds who are pursuing scientific research at the university. Her own research centered on the neural basis of drug and alcohol addiction.
Her campaign raised funds for the Nadia Chaudhri Wingspan Award, which was established in her honor and announced by Concordia, in May. She had previously raised money with a GoFundMe campaign to sponsor students from diverse backgrounds to attend the annual conference of the nonprofit Research Society on Alcoholism.
In the announcement of the award, Chaudhri recalled the discrimination she had experienced as a Pakistani woman in graduate school. “When I gave talks or presentations, people often commented on my accent instead of my science,” she said.
Through her walk-athon and her large and active Twitter following, the fund surpassed $635,000 in mid-October. Paul Chesser, the university’s vice president for fundraising, said small donors had led the way: nearly 9,000 from 60 countries, forming a rare grassroots effort in institutional fundraising.
“Nadia’s legacy is forever entrenched in many, many ways here on campus,” Chesser said.
Her Twitter feed drew more than 150,000 followers and was the backbone of her money-raising efforts. Many of her followers said they were inspired by her frankness about her illness and cited her bravery.
“I’ve been so moved by your story, Nadia, and your kindness and spirit are just something I don’t think I’ve ever seen in such abundance before,” one Twitter user wrote. “I will carry you in my heart for as long as I live.”
Chaudhri, in turn, connected closely with her Twitter following. Addressing donors, she wrote, “You are making my final days incredibly special & meaningful.”
In May she wrote of how she was preparing to tell her six-year-old son about her terminal diagnosis. “Today is the day I tell my son that I’m dying from cancer,” she said. “Let me howl with grief now so that I can comfort him.”
Chaudhri produced creative work while in the hospital. She sent some donors copies of a short story she wrote about growing up in Karachi, Pakistan. She painted, posting vibrant artwork depicting flowers and nature scenes, some inspired by pictures her followers had sent her and some featuring her husband and son.