Ms. Xu's Story

On December 27, 2015, Madam Xu, a pancreatic cancer patient from Shanghai was discharged as her condition has improved after received meticulous treatment at FUDA. The daughter of Madam Xu said with great relief, “Seeing that my mom has improved both mentally and physically, I would like to express my deep appreciation to Dr. Niu Lizhi and Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital.”

President Xu visiting Madam Xu

In mid June, 2015, Madam Xu had intermittent dull pain in upper abdomen and aversion to greasy food. On June 30, she had yellowing in whole body skin and in sclera and was hospitalized in a local hospital. The impressions of CT scan were as follows: a space-occupying lesion about 3cmx2cm in size is detected in the neck of pancreas and is found to have invaded lower segment of common bile duct; intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts dilation is detected; an abnormal  enhancing lesion is found in outer right lobe of liver. The attending doctor suggested operation but Madam Xu declined and just took traditional Chinese medicine for anti-cancer treatment. 

In October, Madam Xu had aggravated symptoms, including intermittent abdominal pain, vomiting after food intake, difficult defecation and etc. To seek further treatment, Madam Xu was hospitalized at Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital in the company of her family members on November 6.

A photo of Dr. Niu Lizhi and Madam Xu

After she was hospitalized into FUDA, Dr. Niu arranged whole-body examinations for her in no time. After learned that Madam Xu has nutrition risk as she had 15kg of body weight loss since her illness, the attending doctor prescribed nutrition support for her.

To further control tumor progression, the medical team decided to perform NanoKnife therapy for her. On November 10, the NanoKnife therapy medical team headed by Dr. Niu Lizhi performed irreversible electroporation (NanoKnife therapy) under the guidance of B ultrasound for Madam Xu as scheduled, two electron-probes were punctured into the tumor in the neck of pancreas for local ablation. The procedure went smoothly. The volume of bleeding was only 50ml during the procedure.

After the procedure, Madam Xu has had a good recovery. She has resumed her good spirit and appetite to some extent and she has also gained some weight. On December 10, the doctor attending to madam Xu arranged immuntherapy for her in order to boost her own anti-cancer immunity. Seeing that her mother’s condition had significant improvement, Madam Xu’s daughter was greatly relieved. She told the writer that they have came all the way from Shanghai to Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital for NanoKnife therapy. “I learned on the Internet that Fuda Cancer Hospital has successfully carried out the first case of Nanoknife therapy for pancreatic cancer in mainland China”. That’s why I decided to bring my mother to FUDA and have a try. The treatment has delivered good curative effects exactly as we have expected.”

According to statistics, the NanoKnife therapy medial team led by Dr. Niu Lizhi has saved over 60 pancreatic cancer patients from the verge of death. We believe that more and more cancer patients will receive benefit from the latest technology in the future.

TIPS: Seven advantages of NanoKnife therapy

Dr. Niu Lizhi indicated that NanoKnife therapy is a safe and highly effective minimally-invasive technology for tumor treatment. Compared with other tumor treatment method, it has the following advantages:

1. Short ablation duration

For solid tumors about 3 cm in diameter, it requires just 90x100milisecond ultrashort pulses. One group of treatment takes less than one minute. Even if there are 3 to 4 overlapped ablation areas, the whole ablation duration will be less than 5 minutes.

2. Preserving important tissues such as vessels and nerves in ablated areas

Nanoknife therapy can protect important tissue structures in ablated areas. Important liver structures, such as hepatic artery, hepatic vein, portal vein and intrahepatic bile ducts can be well protected after being treated with Nanoknife therapy.

3. No heat island effect

Nanoknife System for tumor ablation uses electrical pulses to breakdown cell membrane. The procedure will neither generate energy nor be influenced by external temperature.
4. Thorough ablation with clear demarcation
IRE can perform thorough ablation to tumor regardless of its site, size and shape even if it’s tumors close to vessels or tumor with irregular shape or big size. Moreover, there is a demarcation between ablated area and non-ablated area; therefore, more precise judgment and evaluation can be made for the follow-up, effectiveness and treatment performance of Nanoknife Therapy. Moreover, NanoKnife therapy can exempt the possibility of tumor recurrence after treatment.

5. Ablated area will remain functional

Different from conventional ablation modes, Nanoknife therapy can promote cell death through immunity stimulation. Human body will identify cell apoptosis as normal cell death and then clean apoptotic tissue through cytophagy so as to promote the regeneration and repair of normal tissue.

6. Real time monitoring during treatment

Nanoknife Therapy can be navigated and monitored by ultrasound, CT or MRI. There is only few millimeters of difference in size between ablated areas monitored by ultrasound or CT and that measured in pathological analysis. The imaging can also clearly display unablated residual cancer cells, to which doctors can perform ablation again. Moreover, real time monitoring allows doctors to observe the changes in the surrounding tissues of ablated area and predict the possibility of complications so as to guarantee patient’s safety and quick postoperative recovery.

7. Nanoknife Therapy can be applied to more complicated conditions

As NanoKnife therapy inflicts no injury to such important tissues. It could deliver safe and effective treatment for the tumor which is close to big vessels, bile duct, pancreatic duct and hepatic portal vein, prostate cancer and cancer close to spine.

Mota and Mata's story

In 2009, a pair of sisters from America came to Fuda Cancer Hospital. They were diagnosed with breast cancer almost at the same time and both requested to receive breast-conserving treatment. They came to FUDA and received percutaneous cryoablation, which has achieved good treatment results. Later they came to our hospital for checkups. In 2013, doctors from FUDA paid them a follow-up visit in New York, America. They have been leading a happy life.

 President Xu Kecheng  and American breast cancer sisters

Treatment experience

Researches on follow-up visits to patients by several cancer centers showed that there is no obvious difference in total survival rate between patients received radical mastectomy, breast tumor resection and patients received breast tumor resection together with radiotherapy. Given this, doctors tend to adopt conservative methods in treating breast cancer. Cryoablation is most suitable to the following cases: patients with small and isolated invasive breast cancer; patient whose tumor is smaller than 15 mm with low density and clear dividing line on a mammogram and a visible posterior wall at ultrasonography; patients with small breast tumor which is unsuitable to or intolerant of surgery or chemotherapy.

As initial treatment to small breast cancer, cryoablation has advantages as follows: 
1. The curative effect of cryoablation can be compared with that of tumor resection;
2. Patient is tolerant of cryoablation, which inflicts no pain and requires no anesthesia (or just local anesthesia ); 
3. The procedure is simple, which can be compared to CT-guided biospsy; 
4. It leaves no scar and preserves the integrity of breast appearance. It doesn’t hurt skin even if tumor is close to it;
5. It is evidenced that cryoablation can induce anti-tumor immune reaction, which is evidently beneficial to the prevention of tumor recurrence. 

Cryoablation is becoming an important way for breast cancer treatment. With regard to early stage small breast tumor, percutaneous cryoablation can achieve similar curative effect as tumor resection. As a minimally invasive treatment, cryoablation does not affect breast appearance, which is superior to the latter.

The reason why the pair of sisters came all the way to Fuda Cancer Hospital was that they wanted to receive cryoablation. They also achieved ideal curative effectat FUDA.

Mo Xiaofeng's Story

Mo Xiaofeng is a 16-year-old girl from Shangkeng Village, Huaiji County, Guangdong Province. After one cycle of chemotherapy, Xiaofeng seemed to be okay except abdominal distension after meal and edema in ankles. Xiaofeng, a top student at school, often asked his father, “when can I go back to school?”

Her parents were very worried about Xiaofeng as there was a “bomb” that might explode at any time in her body. Her parents had been consoling her that she would recover and go back to school soon instead of telling her the diagnosis and the severity of the disease. They had been under huge mental pressure but had to pretend nothing happened.

Xiaofeng’s story can be traced back to March 2009 when she stumbled on a mass in middle to upper abdomen. According to biopsy, she was diagnosed with solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas (SPN), a rare exocrine tumor of pancreas. It is known to all that pancreatic cancer is called the King of Cancer, let alone such a rare pancreatic tumor. The couple was hit by the blow of fate. Xiaofeng underwent operation.

 

In May 2014, Xiaofeng had such symptoms as abdominal distension, upper abdominal pain, edema in ankle and fever. These symptoms aggravated day by day. Xiaofeng’s father brought her to Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center for examination, which showed metastases were found as spleen enlarged significantly and multiple masses were found in liver.

Xiaofeng’s father brought her to Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital as the last resort in June 2014. Xiaofeng’s symptoms relieved significantly after she underwent interventional embolization, cryosurgery and chemoablation therapy.

 

While medical workers were making further treatment plan, Xiaofeng was discharged.

 

Doctor Huang Zhifeng, Xiaofeng’s chief doctor told Xiaofeng’s story to President Xu. He remembered that the 16-year-old girl had been addressing him “Grandpa Xu” and told him to strike a balance between work and life when he was making rounds every day. Xu Kecheng was wondered why she discharged against medical advice when it was the best time for treatment.

 

Xu Kecheng and Huang Zhifeng drove over 3 hours to see Xiaofeng in October 18. Xiaofeng’s home was located in a small hill of Shikeng Village. Xioafeng was teaching her two little brothers at home. Her mother rushed home from the fields to welcome him. It was until then did Xu Kecheng knew why Xiaofeng discharged against doctor’s medical advice.

Xiaofeng’s parents are diligent and honest farmers. They only have meager income from the crops and from odd jobs. There are elderly parents, five children in her family. Xiaofeng is the third children; her youngest brother was just enrolled into primary school and the eldest sister was in her third year in high school. Though Xiaofeng’s parents are farmers, they knew very well the importance of education. Hence, they have sent their children to school though they are not well-off. The five children have been very sensible, especially Xiaofeng. She studied very hard and kept among the ten top students in her grade every year.

Prof. Xu Kecheng(R1), Doctor Huang Zhifeng visited Mo Xiaofeng at her home(L3). Mo Xiaofeng’s father (L1) 

However, Mo Xiaofeng’s education was finished in 2009 when she was diagnosed with cancer. As her classmates were preparing for senior high school entrance examination, Xiaofeng had to stay in the hospital bed.

The parents were caught unprepared by Xiaofeng’s disease. They were under huge mental pressure as they were worried about her disease but had to pretend nothing happened. The financial burden had also become worse. The family’s already meager income could barely support their tuition fee and daily expenses, let alone Xiaofeng’s medical expenses. What should they do?

The couple had no way out but to reduce their daily expense to the minimum and borrow money from relatives in order to raise money for Xiaofeng’s operation. However, things did not work out. The things that they worried about the most finally happened five years later. Even if Fuda has reduced unnecessary treatments and examinations, the medical expenses still stood at 80,000RMB. The family had no way out but to bring Xiaofeng back home as they did not have enough money for her treatment. The family was reduced to despair again. As Xiaofeng knew nothing about her disease, she often asked her father when she could go back to school. His father just told her there was something wrong in her body but she would recover soon as he could not bear to tell her that she might never be able to go back to school again.

As her condition was deteriorating and her frequent visit to hospital, Xiaofeng finally learned her condition and she stopped asking father when she could go back to school.

Xu Kecheng was saddened to learn the news. It suddenly dawned on him that Xu Kecheng Health Care Studio that was established by Civilization Office of Tianhe District Committee in June 2014 has helped two impoverished cancer patients, namely Han Bingbing and Luo Caizhi. He wanted to make Mo Xiaofeng the third beneficiary of the studio. Though the tumor was located in pancreas, it was different from common pancreatic cancer as it has special features. If given appropriate treatment, Xiaofeng can coexist with tumor for a long time and gain a better quality of life.

 

Under such circumstances, Xu Kecheng called for the society to raise money for Mo Xiaofeng. Though a total of 30,000RMB was raised, it was still fall far short of the expected medical expenses that stood at 180,000RMB. 

Mo Xiaofeng was fetched back to Fuda Cancer Hospital in order not to delay her treatment. Xiaofeng’s tumor shrank after she underwent interventional therapy, argon-helium cryosurgery, and percutaneous ethanol injection therapy, Now, Xiaofeng can walk as a normal person. She has regained a new life with the help of Xu Kecheng and people from all walks of life.

Judy Ann Ellison’s story Renal Cancer-America

In 2012, two sisters from Phoenix of United States presented to Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital. The younger sister suffered from renal cancer. Two years ago, before she came to Fuda, she underwent surgical resection. Unfortunately, her tumor recurred after one year. A head-size tumor appeared on the right abdomen. She received radiotherapy, chemotherapy and molecular targeted therapy, but failed to have good treatment effects. Her doctors regretted to tell her that they cannot do any treatments for her. The sisters cannot be resigned to the bad fact, so they came to Fuda Cancer Hospital, where the younger sister underwent cryosurgery- assisted surgery. 

When the abdominal cavity was open, a large tumor was exposed on the right side. Firstly 80% of the tumor was removed through surgery, and the residual tumor was cryo-ablated. Professor Xu Kecheng also stayed in the operation room to guide surgery from the beginning to the end. When walking out of the operating room, he met the elder sister who was waiting for her younger sister at the door. After the elder sister looked at photos taken by camera of the phone, she immediately burst into tears, jumping and shouting, "China, Thank you". She held Professor Xu tight with her arms, repeating "Thank you". President Xu was also moved to tears. What a great family affection!

Before discharging from hospital, the two sisters took photo with Professor Xu.

Treatment Experience

This is a patient with recurrent renal cancer, huge abdominal tumor, which cannot be cleared through traditional therapy. However, this huge tumor was almost removed by cryoablation-assisted surgery.

Similar to prostate, kidney is an appropriate target organ for cryotherapy for the following reasons: ① generally kidney cancerdistributes in unilateral kidney, which can easily be found under the laparoscopy; ② Utrasound, CT or MRI can clearly show renal cancer, thus it is suitable for percutaneous cryoablation; ③ the pathogenesis of kidney canceris closely related to body immunity, and cryoablation can stimulate anti-tumor immunity.

The indications of cryotherapy for kidney cancermainly include peripheral or intracortical renal tumors, isolated renal tumor that is less than 4cm; relative indications include central kidney canceror intrarenal cancer (close to central blood vessels and / or collecting duct), kidney cancerthat is near renal pelvis and kidney cancerthat is larger than 4cm.

Compared with surgery or laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, cryoablation for small renal tumors enjoys the advantage of short treatment time and fewer complications; compared with radiofrequency ablation, cryoablation have the advantage of less analgetics and anesthetics and complete tissue necrosis. Therefore, cryosurgery may be preferred minimally invasive therapy for small renal tumors.

For progressive kidney cancer, the main purpose of cryosurgery is to reduce the tumor load to create conditions for other treatments. Judy suffered from progressive kidney cancer, it was cryoablation-assisted surgery that successfully removed her recurrent tumor.

In 2007, it was reported that 12 patients with locally progressive kidney cancer were treated through cryoablation-assisted surgery or percutaneous cryosurgery in Fuda Cancer Hospital.  Among these 12 cases, there were 8 male patients and 4 female patients, age from 21 to 87 years old, with a median age of 57 years old. Only one case that was received initial treatment, the other cases have received surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy and immunotherapy but tumor recurred. There were three cases of cryoablation-assisted surgery and nine cases of percutaneous cryosurgery. Results: The tumor shrank more than 60% to 90%, 7 patients had survived 5 to 29 months. 

There was one case that has survived for 49 months whose cancer type was T3N0M0. After percutaneous cryosurgery, his tumor shrank more than 90%. After 4-year medical checkups, there is not more evidence for tumor. 3 cases who received cryoablation-assisted surgery were all dead, the survival time were respectively 18, 28 and 7 months, and the causes of death were pulmonary metastasis associated with infection, systemic failure and renal failure. 2 patients who underwent percutaneous cryosurgery died of lung metastasis and systemic metastasis after 12 and 7 months.

Giglia’s story Stomach Cancer- Australia

On June 10, 2010, when Professor Xu Kecheng was on a visit to the United States, he received an email forwarded from his secretary. It was from an Australian patient’s grandson Ciccotosto from Ward 7, said, "Dear Professor Xu, you are very friendly to my family and me...... I think this time you must be very happy in America. ...... I would like to ask you whether I could work as a doctor in your hospital and learn from your good hospital from now on. I will work hard and study hard in your hospital.......“This was an email from a 9-year-old laddish boy, President Xu became excited after reading this letter, said “what we have done surprisingly touched a child!”

The child’s grandfather is Giglia who lives in Perth, one city of the west coast of Australia, from which there are two Nobel Prize winners in gastroenterology, that is, Marshall and Warren. Helicobacter pylori they find brings a revolutionary change in gastric illness treatment and a new concept of the incidence of gastric cancer as well. Mr. Giglia suffered from gastric cancer, upon diagnosis, he had lost the chance to receive surgical resection and chemotherapy failed to control the disease. At that time, he was already 81 years old. He is a restaurant owner, who has three daughters and one son. In September 2009, accompanied by his two daughters and grandson, he came to China for the first time and presented to Fuda Cancer Hospital. 

At that time, his condition was quite severe. He experienced repeated haematemesis. After receiving treatments, his disease was been controlled. After discharging from hospital, he did ​​several follow-up reexaminations in Australia, which demonstrated that most of primary tumor and lymph node metastases had disappeared. The whole family was thrilled, so the grandfather came back to hospital for consolidation treatment. During the treatment break, they visited scenic spots and historic sites in Guangzhou, and enjoyed Guangzhou cuisine. 

The old gentleman said, “My grandson is quite smart, when learning that I am getting better day by day, he conceives an idea of “studying medicine” in China. “ In June 26 of 2010, the old gentleman discharged from hospital, President Xu encountered them in the lobby. The little boy took Prof. Xu by the hand and asked Prof. Xu to promise him to study medicine in Fuda Hospital when he grew up.

In recent years, the little boy Ciccotosto have kept contacted with Prof. Xu, updating his grandfather’s condition. In November 2013, he asked one patient to bring Prof. Xu a letter, saying that his grandpa missed Prof. Xu and doctors and nurses.

Giglia G
gastric cancer 

Giglia G is an 81-year-old male gastric cancer patient. In September 2009, he presented to Fuda Cancer Hospital because of repeated hematemesis. Endoscopic examination showed diffuse hemorrhage and erosion below gastric cardia, uneven surface and irregular nodules. Biopsy showed that it was poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. CT and endoscopic ultrasonography demonstrated perigastric multiple lymph node enlargement. After he received vascular interventional therapy, photodynamic therapy under endoscope, and combined immunotherapy, hematemesis stopped. Follow-up endoscopy displayed the condition of diffuse hemorrhage and erosion had been significantly improved. Progression-free survival of the patient has been four and a half years.

laddish boy from Australia

Treatment Experience of Giglia

For unresectable gastric cancer, especially elderly patients, those treatments with small trauma and fewer side effects should be taken not to "cure" cancer but "stabilize" cancer, seeking for "living with cancer" and long-term survival. Cancer is a kind of chronic disease, if patient can maintain a good immune function, cancer can stop progression. Under the premise of eliminating tumor or reducing "tumor load" (reduction in tumor volume), combined immunotherapy can help patients "peacefully co-exist" with cancer to achieve long-term survival.

Rena’s story Breast Cancer- New Zealand

In early 2005, the pharmacist named Rena from New Zealand presented to Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital, seeking for further treatment of breast cancer with lymph node metastasis. She was recommended by Doctors from Auckland to be treated surgically, but she refused to do surgical resection of the breast because she was already 46 years old but still single. 

When she learned Fuda Cancer Hospital from the Internet, she decided to seek for treatments in Guangzhou. Upon admission, she made several requirements. First of all, the hospital shall keep her disease absolutely confidential; secondly, she strongly refused to undergo surgery; thirdly, it shall conserve the integrity of her breast. Fuda medical team carried out percutaneous cryosurgery and axillary lymph node dissection, through which her breast had been kept intact. 

In May 2006, Professor Xu Kecheng was invited to give a lecture in New Zealand, accompanied by the fully recovered enthusiastic pharmacist. Whenever professor Xu concluded his speech, she took the initiative to go onstage to share her cancer and treatment experience in China without scruples. She loosened her coat, exposing her breast and said, "My wish is to tell breast cancer patients, there are other better ways to treat breast cancer except for surgical resection!”

Rena was on the public lecture 

Rena said, “Look! How beautiful my breasts are!” 

Rena

Breast cancer

Female, 46 years old, New Zealand. She was diagnosed with breast cancer, but she refused to undergo surgical resection, so she presented to Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital for percutaneous cryosurgery and axillary lymph node dissection, through which her breast had been kept intact.

Treatment experience

Surgical resection is the preferred treatment for breast cancer. In recent years, with the development of ablation and imaging techniques, non-surgical tumor ablation has been increasingly used in breast cancer treatment, among which ultrasound or MR-guided percutaneous cryoablation for breast cancer has made great progress.

The rationalities of cryotherapy for breast cancer can be listed as follows: (a) Breast cancer is a systemic disease, patient’s long-term survival or "clinical cure" not only depends on the effect of local tumor removal, but also on cancer cells elimination, so the treatment effects of surgical resection and cryoablation for local tumors are same; (2) cryosurgery can "freeze" cancer cells to release tumor antigens that stimulate the body to produce anti-tumor immunity; (3) cryotherapy is punctured by fine needle, which can keep the breast intact.

Treatment Team

Fuda Breast Cancer Treatment Treatment

Li Chaolong   Professor
Niu Lizhi   M.D.
Hu Yong   Director
Li Hongmei    Doctor
Chen Zhixian  Doctor
Xing Yanli     Doctor

Improved Therapies in Breast Cancer Treatment

JOAN CITADEL CADELINA is an young Filipina who presented with breast cancer upon admission on July 08, 2009. The patient was diagnosed with left breast cancer 17 previously. When admitted, Ms. Cadelina~s symptoms were severe and had difficulty walking due to the size of the tumor. Admission diagnosis was: left breast invasive ductal carcinoma in situ stage 4, and liver metastases.

Examination: the tumor of the left breast was approximately 10 * 8cm and had begun to fester, there was light yellow liquid pus, accompanied by peculiar smell, but no significant changes in the surrounding skin color. Lymph node under the armpit measured about 8cm in diameter of about 8cm, texture was hard, it had clear boundaries, and no tenderness.

With local chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and endocrine therapy, Ms. Cadelina had significant reduction in the size of the breast tumor and axillary lymph nodes. Patients with significantly reduced compared with the previous mass, tumor ulceration has formed scar the surface of the restoration can be. While the cancer is still with the patient, the patient's condition has greatly improved while her quality of life is nearly back to normal.

Dr. Kecheng Xu is proud of Ms. Cadelina's great improvements.

A Danish Patient Shares Her Reasons for Choosing Cancer Treatment In China

On March 22nd, 2009; Malaysia's State Government Industrial Development Assistant, Datuk Chi Daud took a tour of Fuda Cancer Hospital. In the seventh ward, by coincidence, Mr. Daud engaged in lively conversation with Ms. LSS patients from Denmark.

Ms. LSS discussed with Mr. Daud that she currently suffers from ovarian cancer, the transfer of concurrent rectal cancer, and retroperitoneal lymph node metastases.  PET-CT showed multiple sites of tumor activity in the abdominal cavity.  In her personal quest for the best treatments, Ms. LSS had already sought help from 5 doctors in Denmark, and two more in the United States.  December 23, 2008, Ms. LSS made the decision to seek further treatment at Fuda Cancer Hospital in Guangzhou, China.

At Fuda, she received a combination approach to her treatment:

- cryosurgery - "removal of rectal cancer -" on the residual tumor

- Photodynamic therapy

- and 125 iodine seeds embedded into the lymph nodes.

January 28, 2009, Ms. LSS was discharged, so that she could go home to rest and recover.

On March 5, 2009, Ms. LSS returned to Fuda for follow-up. The good news: PET-CT showed no cancer activity in intra-abdominal.

Mr. Daud asked, "If a Malaysian has a friend with cancer, what is your proposal?"

Sharing her advice with Mr. Daud, Ms. LSS said, “If there are no treatments in Malaysia, by waiting with no hope, the end result is dying. Since there is an option, why don't we give it a try, at last there is a hope. That is the reason I came to Fuda. I am glad to come to Fuda. At least I know that I am getting better now. I have more power to survive”.

Mr. Daud speaking Ms. LSS

Mr. Daud, Ms. LSS, and Fuda medical staff

Dr. Kecheng Xu speaking about treatment plans

Ms. LSS pre-treatment PET/CT

Ms. LSS post-treatment PET/CT

Thor Jensen's story

Thorbjorn Jensen and Mother Jensen

In my first interview with 42-year-old Danish patient Mr. Thorbjorn Jensen, what struck me is how incredibly healthy he looked, as well as the great big smile that greeted me when I walked through the door. Sitting in one of the big comfortable chairs, Thorbjorn agreed to share his story, not only with me, but with all the patients that would come to Fuda after him. With his mother listening on the side, I asked the big question:

Why come to China?

"No other choices. My treatment at home didn't work and there just was nothing more that could be done in my country. They could only do chemo and radiation. I said now now, I have to take care of a little one, so I needed to keep looking for answers...I couldn't stop there."

How did you hear about Fuda?

"Well after I learned that I didn't have any more options at home, I got on the internet to research. When I was looking, Fuda Cancer Hospital was one of the first ones that came up. I did my research and I talked to former patients from Fuda. Speaking with former patients and hearing their stories helped me become more confident with the idea of going so far for treatment."

Were you nervous to come to China, because the culture, the language, and the food is so different?

"Oh, of course I was nervous! I wasn't sure if the doctors would be able to explain everything down to the little details. I had no idea of what would be waiting for me when I arrived, so that made me very nervous. Before coming here, I didn't even know that much about China. But, after I came here and I saw the hospital and talked to the doctors and nurses, I wasn't afraid anymore. Compared to the hospitals in Denmark, the feeling is very different. The room is more like a hotel room then a hospital room, and the doctors and nurses speak quite good English."

Thorbjorn emphasized his relationship with the doctors and nurses:

"The doctors and nurses here are smiling, so friendly and warm. You can chat and joke with them. In Denmark, the professional distance is quite large. Here, they are still professional, but the distance is less, so it helps to make me feel more comfortable. Even though I hate staying in hospitals, I can feel more at home here because of the relationship with the doctors and nurses."

As this was his second visit to Fuda, I asked how he was doing:

"I feel better. I definitely feel like I have more energy than before. Right now, the most active part of my cancer is dead and gone. I just hope that it stays dead."