by
Dr. Fikria El Amrousy Hassan
Dr. Fikria El Amrousy Hassan, who practiced medicine with her husband in Flint and Naples, Fla., died Tuesday of natural causes. She was 87.
The mother of Dr. Sonia Hassan, who is married to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, graduated at the top of her class at Cairo University School of Medicine. That's where she met her husband of 61 years, Dr. Shawky A. Hassan, says a funeral home obituary.
"Throughout her life, she shattered gender, cultural and religious norms, and misconceptions," the posting adds. "She was passionate about studying and excelling in the male-dominated fields of science and medicine."
After leaving Cairo, she and her husband attended the University of Paris Medical School where they studied serology -- the examination of blood serum and the relation to the immune system. From there, they came to the U.S. where she continued her studies at Baylor University School of Medicine in Houston, and obtained a master's degree in virology and epidemiology.
From there, she earned a University of Michigan doctorate while conducting research in virology and microbiology. She then went on to complete a post-doctorate fellowship in infectious diseases at UM.
Dr. Hassan practiced with her husband in the field of allergy and immunology in Flint and Naples, Fla., and served as chair of the Allergy Division of the Department of Internal Medicine at McLaren Medical Center in Flint.
She never stopped learning. At age 77, she completed a two-year post-doctorate fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona while continuing to serve patients with cutting-edge care, the obit says.
The mother of five, she was a devout Muslim and "held firmly to her faith, family, science, and community as the pillars of her life," the obit said. "She radiated kindness and compassion, had a delightful sense of humor, and was universally loved and admired."
She is survived by her husband, children and 11 grandchildren.
Services arer Friday around 2:30 pm, following Salat El Jummah (Friday prayer services) at 9447 Corunna Rd. in Swartz Creek. There will be a 6 p.m. burial at the Flint Islamic Cemetery in Swartz Creek.
