Larry E. Kun, MD, FASTRO

Larry E. Kun, MD, FASTRO

Larry E. Kun was born March 10, 1946, in Philadelphia. After a remarkably productive career, Larry passed away prematurely on May 27, 2018, in Dallas. Genuinely humble, he surely would have deflected the many tributes that honor his memory.

Dr. Kun attended Pennsylvania State University, graduating with a bachelor’s of science degree in 1966. After completing a five-year program at Penn State and Jefferson Medical College, he received his MD in 1968. Accelerated achievement above the norm characterized his entire professional career. His early interest in radiation oncology, encouraged by Simon Kramer, led to elective rotations at both Jefferson Medical College and Penrose Cancer Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Following internship at the University of Rochester hospitals, he returned to Penrose to complete residency training in 1972 under Juan del Regato. During residency, his lifelong personal commitment to children with cancer and to patients with brain tumors became evident. He then served for two years as Clinical Associate in Radiotherapy in the Radiation Branch, National Cancer Institute, where his interest in clinical investigation of childhood cancer expanded. In 1974, he served as Assistant Radiotherapist at the Rotterdam Radiotherapy Institute under the direction of Brigit van der Werf-Messing.

Dr. Kun served briefly at the University of Vermont prior to joining the faculty of the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee from 1976–1984. There, he was instrumental in the development of the Midwest Children’s Cancer Center at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. The remainder of his career was spent at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. At St. Jude, he served as Chair not only of Radiation Oncology, but also, at intervals, as chair of the Departments of Diagnostic Imaging and of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. At the time of his retirement in 2016, he was the Clinical Director and Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer at St. Jude. While at St. Jude, he also served concurrently on the faculties of the University of Kentucky, University of Kansas, Vanderbilt University and the University of Tennessee (UT); including chairing the UT department of radiation oncology from 1987–1988 and participating in the training of residents from all over the country. Not surprisingly, Larry “failed retirement” and recently took a position as the Director of Educational Programs at UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.

Larry Kun, MD, FASTRO, in 2007 at an awards dinner after receiving his ASTRO Gold Medal. Pictured from left to right: Richard Hoppe, MD, FASTRO; Dr. Kun; Steven A. Leibel, MD, FASTRO;
and Jay Harris, MD, FASTRO.

After two decades of leadership service to ASTRO, Dr. Kun served with distinction as ASTRO’s Board of Director’s President and Chair from 1997–1999. During his tenure, he provided leadership through a series of critical issues including organizational independence, board structure and a new administrative leadership. He later also chaired the Strategic Planning Committee, was the founding Chair of the Conflict of Interest Review Committee and served as Vice-chair of the Maintenance of Certification Oversight Committee. Larry also served on the Board of Trustees of the American Board of Radiology (ABR), holding major responsibilities for the annual examinations and the Maintenance of Certification program.

Dr. Kun was honored for his many contributions during his lifetime. He received the ASTRO Gold Medal in 2007, the Janeway Medal, the AARP Educator of the Year Award, the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation Pioneer Award and the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Pediatric Oncology Award and Lecture, among others.

Dr. Kun was a generous and inspiring teacher, mentor and role model to his many students. The positive impact of nearly 50 chapters and texts; hundreds of invited lectures, visits and advisories; and nearly 450 significant publications with many collaborators, will long reverberate through the work of the countless individuals he influenced.

Dr. Kun and his wife, Donna, after he was inducted into the 2006 class of
ASTRO Fellows.

Larry Kun is remembered as kind and compassionate, traits he unreservedly extended to all, especially to his patients and their families. Consistently available to those needing his help or advice, colleagues understood that administrative meetings had to run on “Kun time.” However, his drafts typically rivaled most final documents, reflecting his encyclopedic knowledge of pediatric medicine and great wisdom. Energetic and extraordinarily diligent, his regular hospital day ran from early morning until 10:00 p.m., with more work done at home while he listened to Mozart. His colleagues became accustomed to receiving his overnight emails just a few hours apart. He always found time to provide a wise comment and useful advice when his opinion was sought.

Larry is survived by Donna, his devoted and loving wife of forty-seven years. Together they enjoyed travel, hiking and family life, with two daughters and their families, including five grandchildren, whom were all special sources of great joy to him. Larry also is survived by the countless children with cancer whose lives were saved or eased by his efforts, and by the many caregivers he trained and inspired. Larry’s legion of friends and associates join these survivors in celebrating the blessing of his life.