An Unforgettable Experience
Graham and his wife, April, traveled to Philadelphia from Bermuda when they found out that he had melanoma, a serious type of skin cancer. After contact the concierge through a government insurance company in Bermuda, they were introduced to Philadelphia International Medicine who helped them in getting Graham the medical treatment he needed.
I thought they were very professional and very caring, and it was good to know that we had an advocate there for anything we needed.
Graham pictured with his family
“My experience with PIM was extremely positive. Stephanie (the patient coordinator) was incredibly responsive and kept on top of the case,” he explains. “The whole team really worked very hard to make sure I was receiving the proper treatment. They are extremely proactive in making sure that everything that had to be confirmed and booked was booked and confirmed.”
Graham was admitted as a patient at Temple University Hospital where he had a modified radical neck dissection performed by Dr. Cecelia Schmalbach (Director of the Temple Head and Neck Institute). “The operation was a success,” Graham happily shares.
Graham and his family are thankful for having found professional treatment in Philadelphia
His wife April also expressed how she felt through the process of coming to a foreign country to find help for her husband’s serious medical condition. “My experience was very good because even when Graham was in examinations, and even through the surgery, PIM—Stephanie—called and she kept in touch. I thought they were very professional and very caring, and it was good to know that we had an advocate there for anything we needed,” she says.
The whole team really worked very hard to make sure I was receiving the proper treatment.
During their stay in Philadelphia, the two got to know the city and grew very fond it. They shared how the Eagles won a few games while they were there, and they were able to see the parade on New Year’s Day. “I have been through Philadelphia only in the airport, and I never considered Philadelphia as somewhere to go to, to live. But once we went in, it was so rich—the architecture the culture. We took an unscheduled vacation essentially. That’s what it felt like being in Philadelphia, even though we were there for medical reasons,” recalls April.
Since Graham’s first visit in December of 2018, he and April have come back to Temple University Hospital for follow-up appointments. April explained how they began to feel comfortable with the city after their stay, sharing that they now found a place to stay during their visits. They were able to rent a car since they consider the city and the hospital to be easily accessible and navigable.
“I think this is definitely a great program, and it’s [still] new to some countries. When you don’t have access to certain things, it’s really good to know. So, I really pray that everything expands for Philadelphia International Medicine so that they are able to reach more people and [help them to] get access to medical care,” says April.
