Serving Others: The Story of an Oncologist Who Became a Patient

A story of how a strong-minded person fights a treacherous illness.

Over the course of twenty years of practice, the well-known St. Petersburg oncologist and head of the Oncology Center at the N. I. Pirogov Clinic of High Medical Technologies, Andrey Pavlenko, performed more than two and a half thousand operations.

In March 2018, Andrey learned that he had stage three stomach cancer. Together with the charity portal “Такі справи” (“Such Things”), he launched the project “The Life of a Person,” where for a year he publicly shared the story of his illness.

In this story, the line between doctor and patient disappears.

In January 2020, Andrey passed away.

He carried on his battle by educating others—explaining, in detail and calmly, the truth to those who fear illness and to those who have already faced it. Setting his goal as possibly erasing the fear of the unknown before a dangerous disease.

This audiobook is the story of almost two years of fighting a treacherous illness—supplemented by memories from Andrey’s wife, Anna, recommendations from doctors and psychologists.

But the story is not over—Andrey continues his path of education through his diary in the “Life of a Person” project and in this audiobook.