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| Mr. and Mrs. Cao and Xu Kecheng (M) |
In March 2014, Mr. Cao was found to have an adrenal gland tumor during a routine examination and underwent left laparoscopic adrenalectomy at a hospital in Shanghai. His doctor advised him to have regular checkups after the surgery. He got back to his work after few days’ recuperation. However, in a regular examination in July 2015, he was found to have tumor recurrence. He was scared and disappointed. He said, “It shocked me that I was having cancer because I work out a lot, I don’t smoke and drink. I had thought the hospital might have made a mistake. Not until the re-examination result came out did I believe that there’s something wrong with my body.”
From then on, Mr. Cao started a long and difficult journey of cancer treatment. At the beginning, he made an appointment with a renowned expert in Shanghai and he waited for 4 hours before he had the chance to see the doctor only to be told that the type of his cancer is rare; it is very likely to come back and no curative medicine is available at present.’” Mr. Cao was reduced to despair upon the doctor’s words. However, he won’t give up for he has a lovely family, over 80-year-old parents and newly born granddaughter. With his whole life ahead of him, he was not to surrender and determined to beat the cancer.
Later on, the couple went to several major hospitals in Shanghai, but the doctors offered almost the same opinion. Tortured by the disease, Mr. Cao turned his eyes to Hong Kong, where they believed they have a better chance. Under his friends’ reference, he was admitted to one of the best hospitals in Hong Kong. He received conservative treatment and had his symptoms controlled. Considering that the tumor might continue to grow, his doctor in Hong Kong further referred him to a renowned cancer hospital in the US.
Without any hesitation, Mr. and Mrs. Cao went to the renowned cancer center in the US, where he received three-month treatments and had his symptoms controlled.
However, after returning to China, they found from the examination that the tumor grew bigger. Upon hearing that, his wife suggested they should make another trip to the US, where she believed that the service and treatment were the best. However, Mr. Cao thought otherwise.
It occurred to him that Prof. Shen, a warm-hearted Chinese American doctor, once mentioned to him his tutor Prof. Xu Kecheng, Chief President of Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital. Mr. Cao called Porf. Shen and told him about his condition. Prof. Shen suggested again that Mr. Cao go to Guangzhou to see Prof. Xu Kecheng as soon as possible.
Mr. Cao said, “Along the way, I have been through what other cancer patients had been through. I feel desperate last minute and sometimes full of hope next minute. I don’t know how many sleepless nights I had, but I do know, during those nights, that my wife had always been with me, encouraging and supporting me to face up to the disease.”
During the interview, Mr. Cao's wife, calm and seemingly strong, burst into tears when asked about her husband, "when they first found an egg-sized mass in my husband adrenal gland, I could hardly believe it. We maintain a healthy diet and we work out regularly. Half month after the surgery, the mass was confirmed to be malignant. It was such a strike on us and we decided to keep it from our daughter since she was in labor. The second test results, which were even worse, plunged us into deeper darkness, and we felt that world around us is crumbling. We cried that night. But when we saw the sunrise the next morning, we saw hope". She wiped tears from her eyes, continued," I am very emotional and I’m not strong, but his illness made me strong, because I believe we still have a long way to go and we have many days to look forward to, regardless of what the future unfolds for us, that’s for sure". In the eyes of the wife, her stricken husband became “grumpy and stubborn", like a boy, but she loved him as always.
Being spoiled by his beloved wife, Mr. Cao managed to gain some strength back, "My wife always tries to cheer me up. She said to me, 'it is a long hideous way, don’t give up and we will make it through the storm. We have places to be and things to see, you might lose everything, but you still have me’". She had planned to retire to help her daughter with her children, but now she has a ‘big kid’ to take care of. She has to accompany him travelling around the world for medical treatment. Facing the camera, Mr. Cao said, "I know she is not suffering less than I do, probably endures more pain than I do, but she never said anything, and she did everything! I am deeply grateful to her and I feel I’m in her debt. "
Before came to Fuda Cancer Hospital, Mr. Cao didn’t have even the slightest knowledge of this hospital. After investigation, he decided to try Fuda. Mr. Cao said, "At first glance, I felt Prof Xu is a man with wisdom who always carries amiable smile". On April 2, after reviewed his medical reports, Prof. Xu explained to him in a professional manner, setting out his ideas of treatment. “That was the moment I knew this is the hospital and doctor I have long been looking for, I'm full of confidence, I believe I will defeat cancer”!
Mrs. Cao objected on hearing his husband’s decision to Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital for treatment. She, like many others, held skepticism towards private hospitals in China. When they first came to Guangzhou, they didn’t get themselves admitted to the hospital, but stayed at a nearby hotel for three days and paid repeated visits to the hospital. Mr. Cao's wife recalled, "We ran into Prof. Xu Kecheng at the first visit, and I asked if he is Prof. Xu. He calmly introduced himself. We were later suggested that we get admitted first and he assured me that they would see from there what they can do for my husband. When the treatment plan was made, Dr. Niu had the operation for my husband and his situation was improved. That’s when I laid down my prejudice for this hospital and started to believe we might be able to make it here with the help of Fuda". She felt embarrassed on the perceptions she had on Fuda.
After hospitalized at Fuda for one month, Mr. Cao had his condition improved gradually. He said, “He is having deeper understanding of Fuda”. From the perspective of a cancer patient, he believed that Fuda has the following advantages:
1. Academic leaders, including Chief President Xu Kecheng, Dr. Niu Lizhi, Prof. Chen Jibing, etc., have advanced treatment concept and cutting-edge professionalism. It is their unremitting endeavor and refinement that have made the hospital full of academic atmosphere and delivered sophisticated skills to cancer patients.
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| Mr. Cao and Prof. Niu Lizhi |
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| Dr. Chen Jibing explained to Mr. Cao the treatment plan |
2. Strong collaboration. Upon admission, multidisciplinary case consultation will be held to make individualized treatment plan for patients according to their specific condition. Multidisciplinary case consultation could lead to more accurate understanding of patient condition and more scientific treatment plan, which will bring more hope for rehabilitation.
3. High nursing care level. From the first day of hospitalization, medical staffs have been delivering dedicated services to patients. All caregivers address patients as uncles or aunties instead of the admission number; doctors without the white gown and patients without hospital gowns have meals together in the canteen; doctors always say hello to patients whenever they encounter each other in the corridor; all these have made patients feel that they are having an equal relationship with doctors. At the same time, the high level of nursing care delivered by hospitals is making patients feel at ease and assured.
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| Mr. and Mrs. Cao give a thumb-up to the nursing care team in the 5th ward |
4. No undertable transaction. Doctors at Fuda never accept kickbacks or invitations to dinners by patients even if they are the expressions of the appreciation and respect from patients. High working ethics and excellent medical skills have avoided much medical conflicts but win more trust, understanding and respect from patients.
In the afternoon of May 23, Mr. Cao said happily, “My current session of treatment at Fuda will come to an end. Now, I feel great and am going to be discharged tomorrow morning. The MRI has shown that the large part of the tumor has become necrotic and moreover the indicators of my immune system are becoming normal again. My doctors advise me to do regular checkups here. I believe that the assessment of the comprehensive treatment will also be good. ”
He believed that he should hold the concept of living with cancer in the following rehabilitation period. A positive mentality is the key to everything. His fast paced and heavy pressure working state has lowered his auto-immune system. Since illness, his weight has reduced from 90kg to 67.5kg. He said, “I will not only change my way of working but also way of living. I will see the two sides of a coin in a positive way. I believe that I can live with cancer and have a good rehabilitation.”
Looking back to his cancer treatment experience over the past one year, Mr. Cao said, “I’m more thankful even though there are tears along the journey.”
He said on camera, “I would like to thank professors in Shanghai, Hong Kong and America for their careful treatment. My thanks also go to all medical staffs at FUDA, including Prof. Xu Kecheng, Dr. Niu Lizhi, Dr. Chen Jibing. Without their meticulous care and treatment, I would not be able to recover so well.”
At the same time, he also extended his appreciation to his teachers, classmates, friends and families for their care and support. In the end, he thanked his wife, saying, “Since my illness, she has been there for me all the time. I would like to tell my colleagues, friends and families that I will keep myself strong and get back to you as soon as possible. I want to see my granddaughter grow up and spend the rest of my life with my lovely wife.”
Mr. Cao said what he really wanted to do is thank those who have extended care and support to him since his illness. He said in front of the lens, “I love you guys!”
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