fbpx

REQUEST A CONSULTATION

Ready to contact us for a consultation about your condition and our medical services? The staff of our Global Patient Services is ready to help. Please select the appropriate button to get started.
search
News

Isenia’s Battle with Alveolar Sarcoma

Isenia’s Battle
Isenia grew up a healthy, friendly girl with big plans of becoming a choreographer. Unfortunately, at 17 years old, she was diagnosed with alveolar sarcoma.

At 17, Isenia, a native of Semey, Kazakhstan, noticed a lump on her leg the size of a small apple. Initially, Isenia and her family thought it to be a dancing-related injury. However, as months passed, the lump showed no signs of change, so Isenia decided to seek medical attention and was soon diagnosed with alveolar sarcoma – a rare type of soft tissue sarcoma.

The diagnosis worried Isenia’s mother, who explained that while Kazakhstan has good oncology clinics and good doctors, the country lacks a dedicated pediatric oncology clinic. Soon after Isenia was diagnosed, doctors informed the family that her condition had rarely been treated in Kazakhstan, suggesting they consider seeking treatment abroad. 

While still in Kazakhstan, Isenia underwent three cycles of chemotherapy as the family looked for alternative treatment options. “I was looking for reviews from real people,” explains Isenia’s mother. “After considering all factors, we decided to go to Israel. Choosing Sheba was no accident, as we knew it had been ranked among the top 10 hospitals in the world for several years now.” 

In the days preceding their arrival, Isenia’s mother recalls being told by Sheba staff that “there will be no language barrier, and no translation problems; we would not feel like strangers there. It was hard to believe, but it was so. If we needed any help, all we had to do was call.”

Upon arrival at Sheba, Isenia started treatment following several tests. According to Isenia and her mother, the process was pleasant and straightforward. Isenia expresses particular gratitude to Milana and Rima, her medical coordinators, for their assistance with translation and documents, as well as to Pavel, who came to meet them at the airport and arranged preliminary assessments for doctors to evaluate her condition. “We felt like we were not alone here, which gave us peace of mind.” 

At Sheba, doctors confirmed Isenia’s diagnosis, and she began the treatment process. As of today, she continues to be treated by her dedicated doctors.

Related
News Mar 26.
West Bank and Gaza Medical Professionals Attend a Milestone Sheba Oncology Conference
Highlighting the latest in cancer care, with a particular focus on pediatrics, the Recent Advances in Cancer Care (REACT) 2023 event was attended by over…
Read More
Colon and Rectal Cancer
News Mar 14.
Sheba Study Indicates Readily-Available Drugs May Prevent Metastasis in Colon and Rectal Cancer Patients
Favorable responses to the treatment were noted by Prof. Shamgar Ben-Eliyahu, a neuroscientist specializing in psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) at TAU’s Sagol School of Neuroscience and School…
Read More
Colitis Treatment
News Mar 09.
A New Drug Discovery and Personalized Treatment Approach for Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease of the large intestine in which the colon's lining becomes inflamed and develops tiny open sores or ulcers that…
Read More