Patient praises merciful treatment

Rossy Lolesio's odyssey to the Mercy Ascot Hospital in New Zealand from her native Samoa for medical treatment was, she say, heavenly.

In her words, it was “like coming into a heaven of love, beautiful service and unconditional commitment to her ailment, from the front office staff, to the radiation therapist and everyone that works in the Newmarket health care facility.”

Such care has eased her apprehension about her health problems, and the prognosis, therefore allowing her to concentrate on the daily treatment of radiation for past six weeks.

“The service I received since arriving had been quite overwhelming. Every day on my arrival here had been like arriving to a heaven full of smiling people and I'm surrounded by loving staff,” says Mrs Lolesio.

A mother of two young children, they accompanied her to New Zealand along with her husband, Iosefo Lolesio.

“They provided us with the best care and I feel at home here at the Auckland Radiology.

“It hadn't been easy for me thinking what I will get out of this treatment but the smiling faces of the people in here have been a tremendous boost to my confidence knowing that I am receiving the best possible service and care.”

This was, she said, “something I am not used to.” Mrs. Lolesio is responding well to treatment.

“I feel good about my future now and from the bottom of my heart I just feel thankful for the hard work they have put into my treatment.

They told me at the beginning that there may be some side effects from the therapy but right now I'm 100%. Actually, I feel very good, I have confidence with everything I've been through so far.”

She praises her specialists, Doctor Benjamin who has “been a rock to me in regards to the treatment and the therapy nurses are awesome.”

It hadn't been an easy past few weeks for both of them, given the treatment she had been going through.

One thing that has helped is that their children are in Wellington with her parents, “which makes it easier for us here in Auckland to concentrate on my treatment without having to worry about their welfare.”

Her husband, Iosefo Lolesio had experienced a similar situation before when he accompanied her sick mum to New Zealand for medical treatment.

“I can't speak highly enough of the service my wife received from the staff here at the Auckland Radiology”

The soft-spoken Samoan was at first lost for words in describing the care bestowed on her wife.

“It helped a lot when you witness the way these professionals treat my wife, I felt confidence once I saw that and I just thank God for these people.”

“We weren't sure at the beginning not knowing how the treatment was going to be but now we are relieved and confident that everything will be okay.”

His message to other people who may find themselves in similar situation as them is,

“Don't be scared, Auckland Radiology is the best place to come to for treatment.”

“Coming here was the best thing that ever happened to us – from the front desk to the treatment room, you will receive the best care.”

Her treatment faced additional complication after she broke her lower right foot in an unfortunate incident at the home she was staying at.

Staff at Auckland Radiology showed tremendous care in firstly, going ahead with her radiation, then arranging an ambulance to transfer her to another hospital where she had her foot attended to and put in a cast. Senior Radiation Therapist, Ms Angela Wells, praised her latest patient.

“Rossy has been a model patient who had no qualms with the treatment. “She has been very receptive to our service. It is our job to make sure the patients we treat are well catered for in every way to alleviate any concerns they may have before we put them through radiation therapy.”

Ms Wells has been on the job for seven years – first at Auckland City Hospital before moving to Auckland Radiology to gain specialist experience on the more advance therapy machines.

“We are duty-bound to give them the best service and to have Rossy under our care had been quite good, it's our job to provide her with best.”

Mrs Lolesio and her young family will be returning to her village Vaitele Uta in Samoa at the end of her treatment in May. This is her last week of radiation therapy with a follow-up in a couple of weeks.

Although she is looking forward to her journey to full health again, both Mr and Mrs Lolesio are sad at the thought of leaving behind the health professionals who have been such a big part of her life during the last six weeks of treatment.