Life of diner in China saved by doctor in same restaurant who spots symptoms of brain tumour and intervenes
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- Woman says intervention of meal-eating medic saved her life as online observers praise brain surgeon’s actions
A doctor in China who saved the life of a stranger by noticing the symptoms of a brain tumour in a woman eating at the same restaurant was celebrated as part of the country’s Doctors Day earlier this month.
Zhao Ming, a senior member of the neurosurgery department of the Zhuji Municipal People’s Hospital in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, noticed the woman’s appearance seemed abnormal when he saw her at the restaurant in November 2022, reported CCTV.
“She had thick lips and a wide nose. Her forehead bone was prominent, and her fingers were thick and big. These are typical symptoms of growth hormone pituitary adenoma,” said Zhao.
Despite being worried that he might cause offence by bringing up the woman’s appearance, Zhao felt it was his responsibility to intervene.
“The tumour she had was malignant. Due to my doctor’s instinct, I had to let her know despite the possibility that I might be misunderstood,” he said.
“I asked her if she had been feeling unwell recently and whether she had diabetes. She said she had diabetes. I said there could be a tumour in her brain.”
The woman, who was not named in the report, said when Zhao first approached her to ask if she had diabetes, she thought he might be a fortune-teller.
But after a while she felt reassured and discussed her health with him.
