Patient Stories l Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi

22 Sep 2025

Kuwaiti Woman Travels to Abu Dhabi to Receive Complex Double Organ Transplant

Nashami received the shocking news that she needed a combined liver and kidney transplant after being diagnosed with advanced liver disease and kidney failure. Due to the complexity of the procedure, doctors in Kuwait strongly recommended she travel to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi due to its expertise in advanced transplant care. During a family holiday in 2024, Kuwaiti mother of three Nashami began noticing some unusual symptoms. She felt extremely tired, had swollen feet and the whites of her eyes began yellowing. The symptoms didn’t go away, so she visited doctors in Kuwait who diagnosed severe liver cirrhosis and kidney failure caused by an autoimmune disease that damages the bile ducts and liver and can impair kidney function. Nashami was told she needed an urgent combined liver and kidney transplant. Due to the complexity of her case and the need for a double organ transplant, Nashami’s doctors recommended she go to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi for its expertise in advanced transplant care and home to the only multi-organ transplant center in the UAE. The UAE and Kuwait hold an organ sharing agreement, meaning Nashami was placed on a shared waiting list ensuring access to suitable donor organs from either nation. Shortly after, she received a call informing her that a donor match had been found. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s multidisciplinary transplant team successfully performed the consecutive transplants, which required the skill and expertise of integrated teams and advanced surgical protocols. Nashami’s recovery was remarkable, and today she leads a healthy, fulfilling life. She says, “From the moment I arrived at the hospital, I was welcomed by the warmth and professionalism of the caregivers, as well as the world-class facility. From registration to pre-surgical assessments, I felt completely supported every step of the way. I now proudly call Abu Dhabi my second home.” Life-saving journeys like Nashami’s are only possible thanks to the selfless generosity of organ donors and their families, and the efforts of Hayat, the National Program for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues.

29 Aug 2025

Guatemalan Man Receives Life-Saving Transplant Highlighting Our Global Impact

Oscar Lopez, a 66-year-old from Guatemala, was living with end-stage lung failure. Relying on oxygen 24/7, even simple activities like brushing his teeth were a real struggle, and he felt his life slipping away. Oscar travelled to four different continents for medical support – South Asia, Latin America, Europe and the US – but no one could help him. Then, in late 2024, he was referred to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s renowned Lung Transplant Program. Home to one of the region’s first and most comprehensive lung transplant programs, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is one of only a handful of centers worldwide that welcomes international patients. Oscar was immediately enrolled on the program and within weeks, received the life-changing news that a matching donor organ had become available. Less than a week later, he was admitted and began preparations for his transplant. Oscar underwent a successful double lung transplant surgery, and his recovery was remarkable. Just 10 days after his admission he was discharged, breathing on his own, and ready to begin the next chapter of his life. Oscar says, “When I arrived at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, I felt like I had come to Heaven on Earth. The level of care, the kindness of the nurses, the professionalism, it was something I had never experienced before. Throughout my long journey, no other hospital could provide an organ in time, but within weeks of arriving here, I was already preparing for surgery. Today, I can breathe, walk, and live again. I thank God, and I thank the incredible team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi who made this miracle possible.”

24 Oct 2024

Innovative Awake Surgery Cures Patient’s Debilitating Tremors

Uncontrollable tremors were severely impacting the physical and emotional aspects of Keerthana’s life. Thanks to the availability of an innovative ‘awake’ brain surgery in the UAE, she was able to regain control of her future. In 2017, Keerthana noticed a slight shaking in her hand when out to dinner. Over the next few years, the tremors began to worsen. Doctors assured her there was nothing to worry about, but her concerned family decided to seek the advice of a specialist and met with the neurology team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Scans revealed a deep lesion in Keerthana’s brain which was causing the shaking. Thanks to the extensive facilities within Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Neurological Institute, which aren’t widely available in the region, the team were able to carry out numerous investigations including sophisticated imaging and 3D modelling of her brain. The advanced testing allowed them to quickly determine that Keerthana’s condition wouldn’t respond to medication and that surgery was the only option. Keerthana underwent an innovative, yet complex ‘awake’ surgery called thalamotomy. After reaching the lesion in the brain whilst asleep, the patient is woken so they can cooperate with surgeons. Heat is applied to destroy the tissue that is causing the tremors, and the patient is asked to perform movements so the surgeons can continually assess the results, only stopping once they are confident that the shaking has ceased. Keerthana was moved to recovery, and it was clear that her tremors had completely stopped. Since the surgery, an overjoyed Keerthana has regained controlled of her life and looks forward to continuing her education.

24 Oct 2024

Complex Surgery Restores Young Man’s Hope

Thanks to a team of multidisciplinary specialists not available anywhere else in the region, Abdullah underwent a complex procedure which saved his life. Since 2018, Abdullah had been hospitalized several times with blood clots, which had spread to his lungs. This made breathing extremely difficult and caused him to cough up blood. He was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, a condition that causes abnormally high pressure in the pulmonary artery, the main blood vessel which takes blood from the heart into the lungs. The condition was putting significant pressure on Abdullah’s heart, which can lead to heart failure – a life threatening situation if left untreated. One day, Abdullah began vomiting blood uncontrollably and was rushed to hospital. Doctors warned that he needed an extremely long, complex and risky surgery to remove the clots and scarring from inside his artery. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is the only hospital in the region, and one of only a handful of centers in the world, with the expertise needed to carry out such a challenging procedure. The team of multidisciplinary specialists worked together during the lengthy procedure – which involved stopping Abdullah’s heart, lungs and blood flow completely – to reopen the blocked blood vessels. Immediately after the major surgery, Abdullah’s breathing was vastly improved, and he began to recover well. Today, he feels like he has been given a new life and has renewed all his ambitions and hopes for the future.

04 Apr 2024

Double Lung Transplant Saves Young Man’s Life

Thanks to a selfless donor, a UAE government initiative, and the expertise of transplant surgeons, Alex receives the double lung transplant needed to save his life. Alex, a 37-year-old Filipino expat, developed a severe lung infection in September 2023, which left him unconscious. His lungs were failing, and he was put on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) – a bypass machine that does the work of the lungs when they no longer function. After two months on ECMO, Alex was told there was no chance his lungs would ever recover, and his only hope was a double lung transplant. Alex’s family and church rallied round and contacted Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. The hospital worked with the National Programme for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissue (‘Hayat’), an initiative which ensures life-saving transplant surgeries such as Alex’s can take place, and he was approved for a transplant. After a two-month period of optimization, Alex underwent the extremely complex, eight-hour surgery where both of his lungs were removed and replaced with healthy donor lungs. The complexity of replacing vital organs such as the lungs presents unique challenges, requiring technical skill, multidisciplinary teamwork, and transplant expertise. Alex’s recovery was remarkable. Within hours of the complicated surgery, the ECMO machine was removed and within two weeks, he was walking and breathing unaided. Following a period of intense physical therapy and rehabilitation, Alex was discharged and back home. Alex and his family feel his ‘rebirth’ is nothing but a miracle. They are grateful to their church for their support, the life-saving medical teams at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and they are extremely thankful to the donor’s family. They also extend a ‘big Shukran’ to the UAE government for making sure that people of all backgrounds and nationalities get the gift of life through organ transplant.

23 Feb 2024

Young Woman’s Colon Cancer is Cured

Thanks to the availability of a unique team of multidisciplinary specialists and advanced diagnostic and minimally invasive treatment options, Arabiya’s colon cancer was cured without the need for invasive surgery or chemotherapy. For 6 months, Arabiya experienced severe pain, diarrhea and bleeding. She couldn’t live a normal life and was even afraid to leave her home. Frustratingly, despite seeing several doctors and undergoing numerous tests, no one could find the cause of the problem. Eventually, Arabiya was referred to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi where doctors confirmed the presence of numerous tumors in her colon. Arabiya was worried about the prospect of having surgery on her colon and the impact that such surgery would have on her quality of life. Arabiya underwent a diagnostic endoscopy during which doctors discovered 5 large masses. Thanks to advanced techniques, doctors were able to evaluate the cells of the tumors immediately and discovered that 2 of them were cancerous. All of the tumors were removed during a laparoscopic resection – a minimally invasive procedure that allows the removal of masses without the need for major surgery, and with reduced risk of complications. Following the procedure, tests confirmed that all of the cancer was successfully removed, meaning Arabiya wouldn’t face further surgery or chemotherapy. Thanks to the availability of a unique team of multidisciplinary specialists at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, all of whom meet regularly to discuss every patient and the best course of treatment, supported by an advanced range of treatments, more and more cancers like Arabiya’s are being successfully cured.

23 Feb 2024

Rare Brain Condition Finally Gets Diagnosed

After experiencing debilitating symptoms for many years, Brandi was finally diagnosed with a rare brain condition after undergoing tests with a team of multidisciplinary specialists. Brandi had been experiencing intermittent deafness for several years. In 2018, she started experiencing severe migraines, blurred vision, dizziness and black outs. An MRI showed that she had pressure on her brain. Despite visiting multiple neurologists for an explanation, no one could help Brandi with a diagnosis, and her symptoms persisted. In 2021, Brandi visited the Executive Health Program at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Tests revealed she had high blood pressure and despite taking medication to control it, the pressure on her brain – and the symptoms – remained. A multidisciplinary team of specialists, which included neurologists, neuro-ophthalmologists, and neurosurgeons, performed multiple tests and another MRI revealed Brandi had idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) – a condition that causes elevated pressure on the brain. After extensive discussions with her entire medical team, Brandi decided the best course of treatment was to place a stent in her brain. The minimally invasive procedure places a tube in one of the veins which drains the fluid from the brain and reduces the pressure. Brandi woke from surgery and the symptoms she had been experiencing for more than five years had disappeared.

20 Feb 2024

Life Saving Liver Transplant Offers Patient a New Perspective on Life

Katie needed a liver transplant to save her life. Thanks to the expertise of the entire transplant team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, from the surgeons through to logistics coordinators, a donor was found quickly. Katie is a young teacher, living in Abu Dhabi. In late 2020, she started to feel unwell and over the coming months, her health deteriorated significantly. She was referred to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi where she was diagnosed with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), an autoimmune liver disease characterized by inflammation of the liver and scarring of the bile ducts. After failing to report to work one day, worried friends rushed to her apartment and called an ambulance. At hospital, doctors discovered her liver had begun to fail and her life was in danger. Doctors advised Katie that a liver transplant was the only thing that could save her. She was admitted to ICU and 4 days later, she received a liver transplant from a donor in Kuwait. Receiving a donor organ from another country represents many complications in terms of logistics and medically preparing the patient for surgery. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Transplant Center is one of only a handful in the region to offer such services. Katie underwent the long and complex transplant operation. It was a success, and she had a smooth recovery. She is thankful for the new perspective on life that the transplant has given her and she is grateful for the second chance that her donor and their family have given her.

18 Feb 2024

Complex open heart surgery saves the life of critically ill man

Juma’s condition was so complicated that no other hospital wanted to treat him. Thankfully, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi offered the complex range of treatments he needed to save his life. Juma was a very active gentleman who enjoyed regular long walks. Out of the blue, he started experiencing serious symptoms including shortness of breath and fluid retention. Doctors discovered a blood clot in Juma’s right lung, but after initially treating the clot successfully, Juma’s condition continued to deteriorate. Juma’s heart, lungs and kidneys were failing, and doctors told his family that there was nothing more they could do for him. Due to the complexity and severity of his case, they were informed that no other facility was likely to accept him as a patient. Juma’s family were told to contact Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. He was immediately transferred there by ambulance and his family received the first piece of positive news in months – that the hospital wanted to treat him. Juma was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism and chronic thromboembolic hypertension. A multidisciplinary team of specialists reviewed Juma’s case and a range of treatments, which included anti-clot medication, kidney dialysis and surgery, were initiated. Juma underwent a very complicated yet effective surgery, involving a heart-lung bypass machine, which performs the function of the organs whilst they are stopped as the patient undergoes the procedure. The clots were successfully removed, and Juma’s heart, lung and kidney function immediately improved. He was taken off life support and made a very quick recovery. Juma is extremely thankful to the team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi for treating him. Today, he is back to walking daily and is managing to walk further than before his illness.

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