Inova Heart and Vascular Institute Physician Earns American Lung Association in Virginia’s Highest Honor

Lung Transplant Director Nominated by Patient, Honored for Contribution to Fighting Lung Disease

Marybeth Saunders, Chair of the American Lung Association in Virginia’s Leadership Board, presents Dr. Nathan with the Douglas Southall Freeman award.

Falls Church, VA  – (June 9, 2009) — Inova Heart and Vascular Institute is proud to announce that Steven Nathan, MD, Medical Director of its Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant Program, received the Douglas Southall Freeman award – the highest honor bestowed by the American Lung Association in Virginia.

The award was presented last week at the American Lung Association in Virginia’s meeting in Williamsburg. It is presented to a Virginian who demonstrates a commitment to preventing lung disease and promoting lung health. In addition to complementing Dr. Nathan’s clinical skills, the American Lung Association cited him for his compassion, knowledge and subtle humor, all of which have earned him the trust of his patients.

“This is a wonderful honor to receive,” said Dr. Nathan. “The American Lung Association is a terrific organization that works tirelessly to promote the message of lung health. I also have to thank a patient of mine who was kind enough to nominate me for this honor.”

Lolly Gilmore, a former patient who underwent a single-lung transplant in 1999, nominated Dr. Nathan for this award. According to Gilmore, “I liked him from the first day I met him. He listened, and I learned to trust him. Thanks to Dr. Nathan, I have had the opportunity to see my grandchildren grow, and to travel to places around the world I never thought I’d see.”

Dr. Nathan is actively involved in groundbreaking translational research into the cause and treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), a progressive form of lung scarring that has a high mortality and for which there are no effective treatments. He is also working with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the establishment of a collaborative program to further study various forms of advanced lung disease. He has been widely published in a number of peer-reviewed journals, such as Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation.

Dr. Nathan received his medical degree at the University of the Witwatersrand Medical School in Johannesburg, South Africa. He completed his internship in Internal Medicine and General Surgery at Johannesburg Hospital, moving to Long Island Jewish Hospital in New York City for his residency in Internal Medicine and then completing his fellowships in Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care and Lung Transplantation at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine.

Dr. Nathan with Lolly Gilmore, a former patient who nominated him for the award.

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.