Bartlett doctor fights for diabetics
When son is diagnosed as an infant, Latif changes course
When the doctor told Dr. Kashif Latif the diagnosis, he knew it was time to make a difference — not only for his son, but also for others.
Latif decided to study endocrinology when his son, Ahmed, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 11 months.
Latif studied medicine at Aga Khan University Medical College in Pakistan. He arrived in Memphis in 1992 and completed his internal medicine training at the University of Tennessee.
“I was practicing as an internist after I graduated and during my practice, my son developed Type 1 diabetes, so subsequently, I went back to train as an endocrinologist,” Latif said.
Ever since, Latif, who is now based in Bartlett, has been committed to helping those with diabetes — both through his work and a variety of causes focused on finding a cure.
Latif and his wife noticed their son urinated a lot and was always thirsty and tired, so they decided to take him to the doctor. At the doctor’s appointment, it was revealed Ahmed had juvenile diabetes.
Latif said his child’s diagnosis was surreal and
tough to accept at first, but he and his wife knew their son had valuable resources available to him and would be taken care of.
He and his wife also decided they would not let this disease determine their son’s future.
“He was not going to be defined by this disease,” Latif said. “He was still going to be his own person and do whatever he wanted to do and become, and he would not be held back just because he had an illness.”
While treating his son, Latif decided to open the AM Diabetes and Endocrinology Center in 2002, which is named after his son.
“Our emphasis at the AM Center has been to provide education from the start,” Latif said. “We have a comprehensive program for diabetes educators, dietitians and pump trainers, so that we can comprehensively impart all of the practical knowledge that a patient has to have when they are dealing with it on a daily basis.”
Latif’s goal was to provide a place that meets all the needs of his patients. At the center, patients receive medication and prescriptions, in addition to information on topics such as possible complications and insulin storage and usage.
Darrell Greene, who has Type 1 diabetes, arrived in Memphis in 2010 and inquired about a good endocrinologist.
“Dr. Latif was the name I got over and over again,” said Greene, an anchor at Fox13 Memphis. “I got an appointment thinking I would feel him out. As soon as I heard his story of why he became an endocrinologist, I was sold.”
Aside from his AM Center, Latif makes a difference in the lives of those with diabetes in a variety of ways.
Latif works as one of the directors of the 5K Sugar Run, which benefits the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s search for a cure for Type 1 diabetes.
The race has occurred for the past 12 years, with donations increasing every year. Last year the race raised $23,000. It has raised $150,000 during the past 11 years.
West Tennessee’s JDRF will host its annual Promise Ball on June 9, which also raises money for the foundation’s research. The event will take place at 6 p.m. in the Hilton Hotel on Ridge Lake Boulevard.
Greene, an executive board member and governmental advocate for JDRF, said Latif ’s contributions show his dedication and support.
“He raises thousands of dollars every Estimated population of children with diabetes: 6,500 (5 percent of all diabetes cases) Estimated prevalence of Type 1 diabetes: 26 per 1,000 children Source: Dr. Kashif Latif year for research funding through JDRF. That shows his commitment to helping people with Type 1 diabetes,” Greene said. “His latest push to build a registry of Type 1 diabetics in Shelby County, his annual Sugar Run, and his constant support for JDRF and all we do in West Tennessee all shows that he’s all in and fighting for us.”
Latif also hosts a summer camp for children with diabetes, which was started 30 years ago by Ahmed’s first endocrinologist.
Latif became the director of the camp after the endocrinologist died.
“The camp gives the kids a sense of normalcy, safety and friendship because they are surrounded by other kids with the same disease,” Latif said. “It also educates the children about the disease and shows them that this disease shouldn’t stop them from enjoying life.”
Latif’s son attended the camp until his high school graduation. Ahmed is now a senior at Georgetown, majoring in computer science.
Latif said it is essential for parents to engage in thorough treatment of their children with diabetes.
“Type 1 is a condition that requires regularly attended doctor’s visits and constant monitoring of insulin,” he said. “It’s also important to let your child continue engaging in regular activities. Having a disease doesn’t mean we should limit them from being their full potential.”
Estimated population with diabetes: 130,000 (13 percent of population)