Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 9 September, 2020:  Maria Madalena, an 80-year-old Portuguese tourist who has been visiting Dubai yearly with her husband and family for the last twenty years, did not expect to get diagnosed with cancer while on holiday in the Emirate.

Madalena says, “I did feel unwell before I traveled to Dubai but I did not want to cancel our holiday. In fact, I told God that I want to be cured in Dubai. However, I had no idea that I had a cancerous tumour in my body.”

 

The faith and trust to seek medical treatment in a foreign country while on holiday stemmed from the fact that her husband underwent a successful heart procedure three years ago in Rashid Hospital after he experienced a heart attack while on holiday in Dubai.

Eighty-two-year-old Rider Lobo says, “Three years ago I was shopping in Mall of the Emirates and I felt pain and discomfort in my chest. I visited a medical facility and I was told to urgently go to the hospital. An ambulance arrived and immediately took me to the hospital. Everything was done promptly with a sense of urgency.  When I went back to Lisbon, I visited a famous cardiologist there, I was informed that the procedure was done brilliantly and that it probably would not have been possible to get the same level of care in Lisbon itself.”

 

He said that this time before they traveled to Dubai, his wife was feeling a little unwell. “We did not think of canceling the holiday as we were confident that if she needed medical attention we would receive high-quality treatment in Dubai.”

 

Madalena says, “I told God that I want to be cured in Dubai if there is an issue. When we arrived in Dubai I wasn’t feeling very good, we went to the hotel and next day I went straight to Rashid Hospital.”

 

Dr. Omar Al Marzouqi, Consultant General Surgeon, specialized in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at Rashid Hospital says, “The patient came to the emergency department of the hospital. We immediately carried out several tests to investigate the medical condition she had. The patient was fully evaluated and we performed several tests including a colonoscopy, CT scan and blood tests. Additionally, the patient was seen by all relevant specialties to ensure we provide the highest quality of multidisciplinary care.”

 

Dr. Al Marzouqi says that the tests revealed a cancerous tumour in the mid-rectum of the patient. “We discussed the case with the Tumour Board we have at Rashid Hospital. All cancerous tumour cases are discussed by a multidisciplinary team of highly specialised doctors in the Tumour Board. These standards are in place keeping international guidelines and hospital guidelines in mind to provide the highest-quality of patient-centered care.

“Keeping the age of the patient in mind and her condition, we decided it was best to avoid open surgery and we opted to remove the tumour laparoscopically instead.”

 

Dr. Al Marzouqi says that Rashid Hospital has performed over 100 laparoscopic procedures for colorectal cancer in the last four years. He adds that surgical techniques have advanced significantly and that since the last few years the department has adopted minimally invasive procedures across the spectrum. 

He says the benefits of minimally invasive procedures include better patient outcomes, shorter hospital stays and faster recovery. 

 Dr. Al Marzouqi explains, “Smaller incisions means the patient has an opportunity to recover faster, the patient experiences less pain and can return to work or resume day-to-day activities much faster.

 

In this case, we were pleased to see the patient recovered beautifully and was discharged after just three days of the procedure.”

Dr. Al Marzouqi says, “We feel humbled and proud that today Rashid Hospital has become a preferred hospital for treatment not only for citizens and residents of Dubai but also for international medical tourists.”

 

Madelena says, “I have no words left to thank the hospital staff. We are very grateful to Dubai because God has chosen Dubai to solve our medical issues. I will visit Dubai again.”