China doctor who noticed brain tumor symptoms of fellow restaurant diner honored on national holiday
In China, a doctor—who saved the the life of a stranger in a restaurant they're in after noticing she had brain tumor symptoms—was honored during the country's celebration of National Doctors' Day last Aug. 19.
The South China Morning Post (SCMP), citing China Central Television, reported that Zhao Ming noticed the woman's appearance seemed abnormal when he saw her last November 2022.
Ming noted the woman had thick lips and a wide nose. He said her forehead bone was prominent, while her fingers were thick and big.
"These are typical symptoms of growth hormone pituitary adenoma,” Zhao is quoted as saying.
Though worried he might offend her at first, he intervened anyway since he felt it was his "responsibility."
“The tumor 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's quoted as saying.
He asked her if she'd been unwell and whether she had diabetes, to which the woman answered in the affirmative. He then warned her that there could be a tumor in her brain.
“Sister, I am a neurosurgery doctor. If you trust me, I will leave you my mobile number," Zhao reportedly told her. "You can contact me to get a physical check-up or further treatment."
The woman underwent a check-up, which showed she had a pituitary tumor indeed just as Zhao had thought.
Zhao performed the surgery a few days later. The woman recovered and was discharged from the hospital a week later, the SCMP reported.
“If he hadn’t noticed me, I wouldn’t have known there was a tumor in my brain," the woman is quoted as saying. "He has saved my life!”