Gevorg Tamamyan: Let me remain human

Gevorg Tamamyan, the Editor-in-Chief of OncoDaily and the Head of the Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Armenia, recently posted on LinkedIn:

”Let me remain human.

What is happening now in Gaza is a catastrophe, and what was happening in Israel is a catastrophe. I am not trying to be politically correct or take a safe side, but I don’t know the difference between Hamas and humus, so don’t expect me to take a side. I am a physician, I am a humanitarian, and I am against any war.

I am free to speak and don’t push your agenda on my table. I was not expecting anyone to take sides when Azerbaijan attacked Armenia. For many of you there is no difference, you don’t know the story and history. But we expect everyone to stay human.

If anyone kills a child, he is a child killer, be that Armenian or Azerbaijani, Russian or Ukrainian, Israeli or Palestinian. There is no justification for anyone to kill innocent children. If one side kills kids, and the other side kills children in return, they are both the same killers.

We, as physicians are not expected to take any sides, we are obliged to save lives. Even during the wars we are obliged to save the lives of those who were shooting at us. We gave the Hippocratic oath.

I have friends who are Arabs, and have friends who are Jews, Russians and Ukrainians. I love all of them equally and I feel bad for all of them. Russia and Ukraine were selling weapons to Azerbaijan, and Israel was selling drones, and these were sold to kill innocent Armenians. But it has nothing to do with ordinary people, these are all dirty politics. I don’t like my own politicians, why do you expect me to like yours. Please, don’t expect me to wear your flags, I wear only my own – Armenian flag and the Switzerland flag, but with the opposite coloring of the later one.

When I see hospital is bombed, I condemn it, when I see civilians are killed on the street, during the concert or at their house while sleeping, I condemn it, and when I see that the road is closed and kids with cancer are not able to get chemotherapy drugs and newborns are not able to get milk, I condemn it as well. I am a human, I am a physician, I am a pediatric oncologist and hematologist and I stand with those who are frail, who are in pain and who need help. There are several millions of physicians and nurses all over the world and if each of us, regardless of the origin, nationality and geographic location raise their voice against any war and any killings, we will have a better reality, I am sure. This is the reason I am writing this piece, this is the reason I call all my colleagues over the globe not to be silent, and condemn the wars and killings, suffering and pain. Let’s be true humanitarians!”

Source: Gevorg Tamamyan/LinkedIn

Gevorg Tamamyan is the Editor-in-chief of OncoDaily, Head of the Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Armenia, Chairman and Professor of the Department of Hematology and Pediatric Oncology at Yerevan State Medical University, CEO of the Immune Oncology Research Institute, President-Elect of the Pediatric Oncology East and Mediterranean (POEM) Group. He is also the Adviser to the Rector of YSMU and to the Director of the Yeolyan Hematology and Oncology Center. He is a Co-Founder and Board Member of the Armenian Association of Hematology and Oncology, City of Smile Charitable Foundation, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of the Institute of Cancer and Crisis, the Former President of the Harvard Club of Armenia.

Dr. Tamamyan is the Past-Chair of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) IDEA Steering Group and International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP) PODC Supportive care WG, Ambassador of the Society of Hematologic Oncology. He was selected for the ASCO Leadership Development Program and currently is a member of the ASCO International Committee. He is a recipient of numerous awards and distinctions, among them the ASCO IDEA and LIFe Awards, 40 under 40 in Cancer Award, he was recognized as a Young Leader of the International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC) and Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). 

For more detailed information about Dr. Tamamyan, you can visit the Immune Oncology Research Institute’s website.