Twin brothers from New Jersey become doctors, honoring late father's legacy

ROXBURY, N.J. - What defines a father's legacy? His wealth? His accomplishments? Maybe, it's not what he leaves behind, it's who.

"For us, growing up, he was a guiding light," said Dr. Adnan Danish. 

"The messages and the things and the tools that we need even now somehow we picked up from him before he passed away when we were 19," said Adnan's brother, Dr. Shabbar Danish. 

Twin brothers from Roxbury, NJ, Adnan, and Shabbar were looking ahead to college when their father, research scientist and first-generation immigrant, Dr. Fakhruddin Danish, PhD., was diagnosed with leukemia. It was at that same time Adnan learned he had testicular cancer.

"Back in the day when I was treated for cancer, my dad was treated for cancer, we didn't have things like cell phones and laptops, you know, support systems," said Adnan. "I remember the isolation that I would feel."

Adnan would recover, but sadly, their father passed away shortly after graduating high school. With their family rallying around them, the twins managed to go on to medical school to become doctors themselves.

Adnan, a radiation oncologist at the Cancer Center at Totowa in New Jersey, and Shabbar, the Chair of Neurosurgery at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. Both are also part of Hackensack Meridian Health, Adnan also serves as the Chief of Radiation Oncology at St. Joseph's Health.

"We want to make sure that no one has to -or, try our best that- people have their fathers, brothers, family members, as long as they can, have that same quality of life to enjoy these special moments," said Adnan. 

"I think every father -- as we age, you hope you leave a footprint on your children and that they carry you with them, memories of you and the lessons because that's how you live on," said Shabbar.