Facing a life-threatening diagnosis is never easy, but having access to expert care and a dedicated team of specialists can make all the difference. For AJ Pass of Owego, NY, the skilled hands and compassionate approach of urologist Dr. Gennady Bratslavsky and his team at Upstate University Hospital saved his life.
AJ was co-owner of an information technology company when he received alarming news – there was an enormous tumor in his abdomen, shaped like an octopus. Dr. Bratslavsky assembled a team of 16 specialists and put a plan into action, moving quickly while ensuring AJ felt supported rather than frightened.
“Everybody moved very quickly and seemed very concerned, but did so without scaring me, which was very important,” AJ recalled. “I’m not sure I would have done as well if I went in there believing that I might not come back out.” The surgery was extraordinarily complex. At one critical moment, AJ went into cardiac arrest. In a remarkable act of skill and dedication, Dr. Bratslavsky reached into AJ’s chest and manually pumped his heart for 10 minutes until he was revived. “He has been incredibly helpful ever since,” AJ said. At one point, when the family was experiencing financial troubles, Dr. Bratslavsky was able to arrange for philanthropic dollars to help pay the Pass family’s mortgage.
Your support of Friends of Urology with a gift of any size enables us to continue helping patients like AJ, providing access to life-saving care and groundbreaking treatments, funding essential research and assisting with unmet needs.