In Memoriam: C. Norman “Norm” Coleman, MD, Esteemed Researcher and Advocate for Global Health Equity

It is with great sadness that we inform the global community of the death of our dear colleague and friend, Dr. C. Norman “Norm” Coleman, who passed away today, March 1, 2024. Norm was diagnosed in December 2023 with an aggressive sarcoma. Despite enrolling in an immunotherapy clinical trial at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), his cancer progressed relentlessly. During the subsequent weeks, Dr. Coleman remained engaged and continued to work full-time in his roles as Associate Director of the Radiation Research Program (RRP), as Senior Investigator in the Radiation Oncology Branch (ROB) in the Center for Cancer Research and as leader of his own research laboratory at NIH. Norm continued his work with the International Cancer Expert Corps, an official NIH outside activity for Norm, until mid-February.

Recognized worldwide for his numerous scientific achievements and leadership roles, Dr. Coleman also was devoted to addressing health disparities to improve the quality of cancer care globally. These efforts led to Dr. Coleman’s founding in 2013 of the International Cancer Expert Corps (ICEC), a nonprofit organization that mentors cancer professionals in low- and middle-income countries and in regions with indigenous populations in upper-income countries. Norm, known for his lifelong commitment to mentoring physicians and physician-scientists through their careers, has engaged many of his mentees rewardingly in ICEC’s activities.

Dr. Coleman was an extraordinary man who served admirably his family, his patients, his profession and the institutions for which he has worked. Beyond that he has served well his country and many other parts of the world. Norm’s commitment to serving others, his generosity of spirit and his occasionally disarming wit that made him so endearing will be missed profoundly.

The family will have a private memorial service this week and will hold a larger celebration of life in the upcoming months. One of Norm’s final acts was to give an additional $100,000 donation to ICEC in hopes of providing cancer cures to people in underserved communities around the world. In lieu of flowers, Norm would be grateful for donations to ICEC made in his memory.