As the leading medical center in Israel which performs the vast majority of lung transplants, Rabin Medical Center's Beilinson Hospital, proudly marked their 400th lung transplant. The lucky recipient, 40 year old Rachel Amsellem, a mother of four suffered from a severe lung disease. More than two years ago she underwent one lung transplant but her condition continued to deteriorate and she desperately needed another transplant in order to survive.
In celebration of being the 400th person to get a new lung, a giant cake was prepared and together with her doctors she blew out the candles, something that only several days ago was an impossible dream.
Prof. Mordechai Kramer, Director of the Pulmonary Institute at RMC's Beilinson Hospital, explained the significance of this event, pointing out that the fact that Rachel could breathe and blow out the candles, shows that the lungs are functioning properly "I'm glad we are commemorating today this impressive number of 400 lung transplants, which absolutely saves lives and this number is a remarkable accomplishment, even on an international scale. Over the last year alone we performed 57 lung and heart lung transplants (including five children at Schneider Children's Medical Center). We also saw an awakening in organ donors, but there are still 50 people with various lung diseases who are waiting for their special day".
Dr. Benjamin Medalion, Director, Heart and Lung Transplantation Unit, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, RMC's Beilinson Hospital "As we mark the 400th lung transplant, we must remember that behind the large number of lung transplants in recent years, stand noble families who have agreed to donate the organs of their loved ones. This is indeed an amazing and difficult gesture and we hope that this trend will continue, because if there are a greater number of organ donations in Israel, many more patients will have been given back their chance for a normal life".
Rabin Medical Center perform more than 70 % of the all the organ transplant in Israel and stands as one of the 10 leading centers worldwide in organ transplantations.
Pictured from L to R:
Prof. Mordechai Kramer, Director of the Pulmonary Institute, RMC Beilinson Hospital, Dr. Milton Saute, Director Thoracic Surgery Unit, Dept. of Cardiothoracic Surgery, RMC Beilinson Hospital, Rachel Amsellem, Dr. Benjamin Medalion, Director, Heart and Lung Transplantation Unit, Dept. of Cardiothoracic Surgery, RMC Beilinson Hospital