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“НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ЧЕРВЕНЬ 2010 9 THE ENGLISH SURGEON: A STORY ABOUT HOPE by Ihor Magun, MD, FACP For those of us who did not get the opportunity to see the documentary The English Surgeon , released in July 2009, this is you r oppor - tunity to read a review and reflect on the many aspects of life depicted in the film. This is not by any means a glimpse of the good life, but a real down to earth documentary centering on the admirably generous charity work of British neurosurgeo n Dr. Henry Marsh in Ukraine. The documentary takes us on a journey with three major players, permitting us to become part of their personal life. Marion, a young man , is diagnosed with a brain tumor. But he is one of the lucky ones, because he has the opp ortunity of being selected to have this surgical procedure performed by Dr. Marsh. It would seem to be a done deal, but as one would suspect, Ukraine lacks needed medical equipment, and the surgery would have to be performed only under local anesthesia. Hi s journey originates in his small village home and progresses to the operating suite where the actual surgery is filmed, and very capably so. The decisions and thought processes that Marion encounters through - out gives us all a glimpse of anyone who is ant ici - pating an upcoming procedure. Dr. Igor Kurilets is the stubbornly com - mitted Ukrainian surgeon who coordinates, tran - slates , and attempts to improve the medical con - ditions in his hospital by utilizing all the donated used medical equipment and surgic al tools. These donations have been brought from all over the world (some even donated by UNWLA). There is a scene where Dr. Marsh himself builds a wooden crate to prepare shipment of a surgical chair from the United Kingdom to Ukraine. We get a good glimp se of the hardships facing Dr. Kurilets, hardships often caused by the absence of medical equipment and the presence of red tape. In a scene about a mutual medical con - sultation with Dr. Marsh, Dr. Kurilets becomes a reluctant interpreter for many patients who were given the opportunity for a consultation, only to find that if they had been tested sooner, their prognosis might have been better and they might have been cured. The most difficult scene to watch is the one in which the doctor tells a 23 - year - ol d young lady that she is going to die in the very near future. Dr. Henry Marsh is a sincere, caring, and humble man. He hopes for the best outcome for every patient, but as every physician knows, this does not happen in every case. He tells of one case of a young girl that he was able to help, but in the end, catastrophic results prevailed. Her condition actually worsened, ending with her death. Dr. Marsh’s human, caring side and empathy are depicted in a scene of the film that shows him visiting the young girl’s family. The family em - braces him, profoundly appreciating his efforts, despite the outcome. What is inspiring about this film, albeit the melancholy tone, is that one person can make a difference. We see how different Marion becomes. We see that you do not even need to be Ukrainian to help another person, be it here or abroad. The donation of time, equipment, emotional support, hope — all that may seem trivial to us — can make a tremendous difference to someone who does not have anything. Viewing this fi lm makes us think about a lot of things in life, and because it takes place in Ukraine, it is closer to our hearts. Hope is a feeling we all long for. It is something the team of doctors in The English Surgeon portray incredibly well. Let us use this word in everyday life for anyone who needs en - couragement. Good doctors use this in their medical practices every day. Rent this documentary for a bit of education in what is reality and why we should be so grateful for all we have. Empathize with people who are going through difficult times, embrace hope your - self, and share it. The two surgeons depicted are not famous actors, but real people trying to make a difference. Their actions and kind deeds are indeed small miracles for the people they help. So is t he well - documented charitable work done by your organ - ization, and you should all be proud of your miracles, and especially for sharing the true meaning of hope.
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