"11 hours on the operating table and, miraculously, the tumor was completely removed. Words cannot express how grateful I am to the staff of the Medical Center and to Prof. Dr. Fichtner-Feigl personally."
R. I. Sakhno, Ukraine
Diagnosis: pancreatic adenocarcinoma
In December 2021, according to the biopsy results, Roman was finally diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. At that moment the diagnosis sounded like a verdict, but the professor from "Feofania" Clinical Hospital in Kyiv recommended to consult Prof. Dr. Fichtner-Feigl from the Medical Center - University of Freiburg.
"Such a diagnosis can break anyone, but thanks to the support of my family, friends and acquaintances, I found the strength to fight for my life and go to Freiburg," says Roman. "The Whipple procedure is performed in Ukraine and other countries, but this is the exception rather than the rule. The Medical Center – University of Freiburg has extensive experience in pancreatic surgery. Thanks to the staff of International Medical Services, we were able to arrange an operation with Professor Fichtner-Feigl in the shortest possible time, on December 28, 2021. Once he agreed to the surgery, there was hope for recovery. A New Year's Eve in intensive care and a difficult recovery period don't matter compared to two and a half years of a full life.
Knowing how insidious this disease is, I was under constant observation of doctors in Kyiv and Freiburg, thanks to which I managed not to miss a recurrence, which occurred at the end of 2023. I understood that "you don’t step into the same river twice", but I believed in the talent and genius of Prof. Dr. Fichtner-Feigl. I had no doubts about the place of treatment. Some doctors in Ukraine advised against the operation, saying it was incredibly complicated and risky. But hope dies last. I say this not with joy and nostalgia, but with trepidation and hope that I was back within the "home" walls of the clinic. 11 hours on the operating table and, miraculously, the tumor was completely removed. My hope for life was fulfilled. It is very difficult to find words of gratitude to the staff of the medical center and personally to Prof. Fichtner-Feigl. He commented on the uniqueness of my surgery: "There are no more than ten such operations per year in the world, and in terms of complexity - it couldn't be more complicated".
My advice to everyone who is looking for treatment: do not give up, there is someone who will help you, as it happened to me. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Prof. Fichtner-Feigl in the words of Vladimir Vysotsky: "Thank you for being alive!"