Looking back at 2020, 55-year-old Kerry Louise Matthews was in love with her life. Despite the pandemic, the UK native had just started on a new career path as a civil servant, she was in a beautiful relationship and felt excited about her future. However, there was one concern. She had a tiny cut on her ear that wouldn’t heal.
Initially, UK doctors treated it as a skin infection, but to no avail. Given Kerry’s family history of melanoma, she began to fear the worst. After going to the hospital for a biopsy, her fears turned into reality. Doctors diagnosed her with skin cancer. From that point forward, her health seemed to have slipped into a downward spiral.
Restoring Hope Amidst Adversity
As her condition worsened, doctors informed Kerry that her case was terminal, and that she had one year to live. The next months were spent making arrangements for her own funeral and ensuring her children would be taken care of when she was gone. It was during this traumatizing period that a late night Google search would introduce her to Sheba.
While there were many treatment options available to her in Europe, she described the way she was treated by Sheba staff even during her very first consultation as the game-changer in terms of her final decision. There was constant contact and reassurance between her and Sheba’s staff while in London. No matter the time of day, they would go on video conference calls whenever she needed assurance.
Discovering Sheba’s Approach to Personalized Care
Upon arriving at Sheba on October 5th, Kerry was thoroughly impressed by the size and facilities it offered. The City of Health was cleaner and more unique than any medical center she had seen in the past. However, the big difference was the welcome she received. She was initially nervous about getting treatment so far away from home, but it soon became apparent that she wasn’t treated like a foreigner in a foreign country.
While everyone made her feel welcomed, someone who had a huge impact on her was her medical coordinator Janna Yanovich. Upon arriving at Sheba on her birthday, Janna introduced herself with a rose. It was a level of courtesy that would set a standard for her whole stay, as Janna accompanied her to every appointment and even sorted out her paperwork.
Dr. Guy Ben-Betzalel, the Service Director at Sheba’s Melanoma and Skin Cancer Clinic, was also praised by Kerry. Upon meeting, he assured her that her condition didn’t look so dire and that he could help her. From that point forward, Dr. Ben-Betzalel was extremely attentive and transparent, explaining every procedure she would need and every symptom she might feel. To ensure that she was feeling both physically and psychologically at ease, he would check on her every day, even on Saturday.
Kerry’s Renewed Hope
Kerry’s most meaningful moment at Sheba was when she began to see her tumors gradually shrinking across her body. Months back, in the UK, she saw no future. She was told she had one year to live. Following her stay at Sheba, Kerry has been granted a new lease on life and is now able to see tomorrow, make plans and look forward to new experiences.
