S. David Nathanson, M.D., is an award-winning breast surgical oncologist. As the director of Breast Care Services in the Department of Surgery at Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) in Detroit, Mich., he has performed over 2500 surgeries to treat the disease ranked second in cancer deaths in women.
Dr. Nathanson has received numerous accolades including being named by the Consumer’s Research Council among America’s Top Surgeons and America’s Top Cancer Doctors. He has also been recognized as Teacher of the Year by the University of Michigan medical students on several occasions and Best Chief Resident in General Surgery at the University of California, Davis. Last year he was named Chair in Breast Cancer Research at HFHS.
During his outstanding career, Dr. Nathanson has witnessed the incredible strength exhibited by his patients and has compiled their personal accounts as they battle breast cancer in his new book, Ordinary Miracles: Learning from Breast Cancer Survivors. Dr. Nathanson shares first-hand stories told by 71 breast cancer survivors, including one man, to offer an intimate look at the disease and the power of hope in cancer recovery. The personal stories recount the stages of recovery, starting with the despair and fear felt at diagnosis, to the faith and inner-strength each patient draws upon as they receive treatment and support.
Dr. Nathanson earned his medical degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. He received his post-graduate training at the University of Pretoria and the University of the Witwatersrand in Surgery and at the Johannesburg General Hospital. He furthered his education at the University of California, Center for Health Sciences, Los Angeles in Immunology; the University of California, Los Angeles in Surgical Oncology; and the University of California, Davis in General Surgery.
He is the author of over 200 journal articles and book chapters ranging in scientific subjects and is affiliated with many academic organizations including: American College of Surgeons; Detroit Surgical Association; Detroit Academy of Surgery; American Association for Cancer Research; American Society of Clinical Oncology; Society of Surgical Oncologists; Michigan Medical Association; American Medical Association; American College of Surgeons Oncology Group; and UC Davis Alumni.
Today, Dr. Nathanson resides in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., with his wife Jerrilyn. All four of their children have professional degrees and live in California, Illinois and New York. He spends much of his time fulfilling his duties as the director of Breast Care Services at Henry Ford Health System and spending time with his family. In his spare time, he is an avid academic, studying many different subjects, including literature, theology, history and the Italian Renaissance.
