Doctors in Nairobi explained to me the several options available, which hinged on surgery, chemotherapy and various modes of radiotherapy, including taking time to monitor progression. I decided to go for immediate intervention and was put on preparation for radiotherapy and received the first dose of Zoladex. I was also advised to seek treatment in India. I was put in contact with several doctors India. At the same time, my son was trying to solicit advice and intervention from medical institutions and medical professors in Britain. He informed me of a procedure called photodynamic therapy and TOOKAD treatment, which although not approved by the EMA at the time had been authorized and in use in Mexico. The EMA has since recommended it for marketing approval to the European Commission and it was granted in November 2017. It turned out that the procedure was developed by Emeritus Professor Yoram Solomon at Weizmann Medical Institute in Israel. I decided to pursue the possibility of benefiting from this procedure.
Israel became my preferred destination. I started to research it online and came across Sheba Medical Center, which has a Global patients services. I contacted the department, they responded promptly, and from there on I pursued travel to and treatment at Sheba Medical Center. On arrival at the hospital, I was greeted by the person who first responded to my initial inquiry. He then introduced me to another who turned out to be my medical coordinator. She briefed me on the treatment process that will follow and exercised the role of scheduling my appointments with doctors, laboratories and various tests throughout the whole process.
The first thoughts that one has to deal with when travelling to a new country is how to cope with the new culture, how are the people? Are they friendly, welcoming, and the like? I was wondering whether I would encounter an English-speaking community since I do not know a single word in Hebrew. This anxiety immediately passed as I met my medical coordinator Larisa who spoke very good English and all the doctors that attended to me were fluent English speakers.
My treatment involved laboratory test, MRIs, CT scans, biopsies, and evaluations by various doctors, all of which necessitated two visits to Israel. After completing all the tests and evaluations, I was advised to undergo a robotic prostatectomy. The procedure was successful. Several years later, a follow-up screening showed no sign of recurrence. I received wonderful medical care and advice from all the doctors who attended to me throughout my stay at Sheba and the final credit goes to the surgeon Dr. Dorit Zilberman who operated on me and the theater team. I stayed in the ward for three days before being discharged, followed by visits for review, and after ten days I was cleared to travel back to Kenya. Treatment at Sheba was simply amazing and nothing like I had seen or experienced in my country – the staff, doctors, facilities, procedures and processes. And most importantly – the extremely positive attitude toward patients.
Special tribute goes to Larisa my medical coordinator who went out of her way to ensure I saw the doctors when needed, that I fulfilled all that the doctors required of me, and I could not have hoped or asked for better service, guidance and attention than what I got from my wonderful and cheerful medical coordinator.
I found the treatment at Sheba to be very, very good and I recommend Sheba to anyone in need of medical treatment.
