In January 2024, S. returned home from serving in the reserves in the Gaza Strip. However, he soon realized that his wife, children, and work needed him, so he had no choice but to return home. Despite his desire to continue serving elsewhere, S. knew that he had to put his family first.
Several months later, S.’s family doctor urged him to visit for an examination due to concerns about his health. At that time, S. started experiencing severe pain in the testicular area. The pain was so intense that he had trouble functioning and even fell asleep in the middle of the day for hours. Eventually, S. went to the emergency room and was admitted to Bilinson Hospital for treatment.
It was at Bilinson Hospital that doctors discovered that S. was suffering from stage 3 testicular cancer on the verge of stage 4 with a large 11 cm metastasis in the large intestine that had caused a hole in the duodenum. He underwent surgery to remove the affected testicle and required four rounds of chemotherapy at the Davidoff Center under Dr. Victoria Neiman’s direction. Thanks to these treatments, the metastasis shrunk significantly, and S.’s chances of recovery are positive.
Despite his medical journey, S.’s most challenging part was missing out on reserve rounds and not being able to fight alongside his teammates.
Dr Raz Motei emphasized how crucial it is for people like S., who may be more likely to overlook signs of cancer due to other priorities or responsibilities they may have.
“Early detection is key in cases like these,” said Dr Motei.” Regular testing can significantly increase a person’s chances of successfully battling cancer.”
S.’s story serves as a reminder that we must prioritize our health above all else.
“We must never overlook our health,” said Dr Motei.”Even when other things demand our attention, early detection is crucial in fighting against cancer.”