Nadia Chaudhri – A Neuroscientist Who Lives on Through Her GoFundMe Campaign
Nadia Chaudhri is a Pakistani-Canadian psychologist. She was a professor of psychology at Concordia University. She was known for her research on drug abuse. Also an active and well-known Twitter user with over 146,000 followers. Although she passed away recently from ovarian cancer, her legacy lives on through her GoFundMe campaign.
Nadia Chaudhri’s GoFundMe campaign raised more than $213,000
Nadia Chaudhri was a neuroscientist who had terminal ovarian cancer and shared her story on Twitter. She was an advocate for women’s empowerment and was dedicated to improving access to science. She raised awareness about ovarian cancer and created scholarships to underrepresented scientists in Canada. Also raised money for young scientists to attend conferences. Her GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $213,000 since it began.
Chaudhri completed postdoctoral training in neurobiology at the Ernest Gallo Clinic in San Francisco before joining Concordia. In January 2010, she was promoted to associate professor with tenure and was named a Concordia Professor. Her supporters marched with giant signs that read “Nadia gives us wings!” and saffron shirts.
Chaudhri’s GoFUNDME campaign raised more than $213,000, allowing her to continue her research. She also posted videos of herself walking in palliative care, referring to the “Shuffle” tradition, in which students walk between Concordia University campuses to raise money. The videos also contained links to donate to the Wingspan Award. Chaudhri wore different outfits for different videos. In one video, she is wearing a straw hat, while in another, she is holding her son.
She had a Twitter following of 146,000
Nadia Chaudhri earned her PhD in neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh in 2005, then completed postdoctoral training in neuroscience at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center of the University of California, San Francisco. In 2010, she joined Concordia University, where she was appointed assistant professor in 2010. She was promoted to full professor in September 2014. She was an exceptional researcher and an ardent teacher who was committed to fairness and diversity.
While Chaudhri’s tweets often detailed the bleak realities of terminal cancer, her posts also displayed pockets of wisdom and joy, such as paintings and close-ups of flowers. CBC News reported on her fundraising efforts for palliative care students. She also tweeted about her joy in spending time with her son.
Chaudhri had a Twitter following of more than 146,000. Her tweets and videos were widely shared, and her fans were moved by her story. Her terminal illness inspired many to take action and fight cancer.
She died of ovarian cancer
Nadia Chaudhri, a 43-year-old neuroscientist from Montreal, died on October 5 from ovarian cancer. She had been diagnosed in June 2020 and underwent palliative care. In her final weeks, she chronicled her struggle with the disease through her blog and social media accounts. Her son, who is only six years old, was told the news in May. In the weeks leading up to her death, she used her Twitter account to share her experience with the world, advocating for better ovarian cancer screening. She also shared her art, celebrating beauty around her and inspiring others.
Her tweets grew to 146,000 followers in her final days. Her legacy has continued through a fund set up in her memory to honor her memory. The funds raised from the Wingspan Award will benefit future behavioral neuroscientists who face discrimination.
She started a fund for underrepresented neuroscientists
Neuroscientist Nadia Chaudhri has started a fund to support emerging neuroscientists. While she is still battling terminal ovarian cancer, Chaudhri has a passion for helping women and underrepresented groups pursue a career in neuroscience. Born in Pakistan, Chaudhri immigrated to the United States at age 17 and earned a B.Sc. and PhD from the University of Pittsburgh. She then honed her skills as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, San Francisco. Her research centered on the neural basis of addiction and alcohol use disorders.
Chaudhri was so passionate about advancing her field that she started two different fundraising efforts to support underrepresented students. The first campaign, called Nadia’s Wingspan Award, has raised more than $212,000 U.S. to help young scientists attend conferences. Her GoFundMe campaign raised over $50,000 on its first day and has now reached a goal of $212,000 to help underrepresented students attend neuroscience conferences.
Chaudhri’s life-changing work has earned her a worldwide following. She began raising funds for underrepresented neuroscientists during her final months, a year before her death from ovarian cancer. She also used her platform to advocate for better health care for women and to support research into the disease.
