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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline FEBRUARY 16, 2024 | The Indian Eye 30

NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK

Selected stories about Indian diaspora from our website www.theindianeye.com

BURT THAKUR DR DATTATREYUDU NORI

Republican and navy Oncologist applauds India’s

veteran announces Texas move on cervical cancer vaccine

congressional run

n eminent Indian-American radiation oncologist applauded India’s bud-
get announcement for vaccination of girls, who are between the age of 9
Aand 14, against cervical cancer.
“The budget’s emphasis on preventive programs for cervical cancer is a
commendable step towards addressing a critical public health issue in India.
The initiative to vaccinate girls aged 9-14 against cervical cancer is particularly
praiseworthy, as this disease claims the lives of over 150 women daily in the
urt Thakur, former naval officer and Republican from Texas, has an- country,” Dr Dattatreyudu Nori said.
nounced his run for Congress to represent the state’s 26th congressional A recipient of Padma Shri in 2015 for his contributions in the field of med-
Bdistrict. The district covers a large portion of Denton County, including icine, Dr Nori said cervical cancer ranks as the second most common cancer
the southwestern part of Denton, Lewisville, Corinth, Highland Village, and among women in India, with more than 85,000 new cases diagnosed annually
Little Elm. It also includes all of Cooke County and portions of Wise and Tar- and approximately 50,000 deaths reported each year.
rant counties. The incidence of cancer cases is projected to increase se from 1.46 million
in 2022 to 1.57 million in 2025. This increase is attributed to advancements
“Now more than ever, Americans need real solutions, not in cancer diagnostics, improved data capture, and ongoing epidemiological
transitions.
virtue signalling. Or Political posturing. Let’s raise our Dr. Dattatreyudu Nori is a noted Indo-American radiation oncologist
standards. Let’s raise minimum skill. Let’s start debating and was once named one of the top doctors in America for the treatment of
cancers in women by the women’s magazine Ladies’ Home Journal.
efficacy of solutions instead of morality of issues,” write
Thakur on his website. DR TONY DHILLON

Burt Thakur was born in New Delhi and raised by his maternal grandpar- Doctor to hold cancer
ents. He spent his childhood in India, where his grandfather was responsible
for the care of the national forests, tigers, and land management. He moved vaccine trial
to New York in the late 1980s and later attended Valley Forge Military Acad-
emy in Pennsylvania. r Tony Dhillon, a consultant medical oncologist at the Royal Surrey
After graduating, he enlisted in the United States Navy. Burt served as a NHS Foundation Trust, proposed the idea for the trial of a vaccine
nuclear reactor operator on the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman. He was Dto treat early bowel cancer for patients worldwide. He has worked
honorably discharged in 2006, after serving for 6 years. with Professor Tim Price in Australia for the last 4 years to develop the vac-
After the service, Burt moved to California and worked for MMR Power cine. Dr Dhillon, the British-Indian doctor, is the chief investigator of this
Solutions. He built, operated, and managed Co-gen power plants. He sub- “ground-breaking” trial.
sequently worked in critical power and is currently an engineering project Dr Dhillon obtained his Bachelor of science in 1994, qualified in medi-
manager facilitating construction processes for large data centers. Burt and cine from University College London in 1997 and obtained his PhD on cancer
his wife now reside in Frisco, Texas. Continued on next page... >>

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