Ms Khanum Nishat Marzia, a prominent educationist in Pakistan, has spent her entire life serving others. When she was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2012, her family were determined to help her in the same way she has helped so many others.
Having opened her first school in 1977, she has spent her career offering high-quality education via the educational chain in the city of Multan. Today, at any one time, approximately 25,000 students are studying at one of her institutions, with more than 80% of the girls achieving above 90% in their exams, so it is little surprise that she was twice nominated for the prestigious Pride of Performance in Education award, which the President of Pakistan gives.
Just as her work changed lives, her life and that of her family changed when the 19mm meningioma (a primary central nervous system tumour) was diagnosed. After much research and meetings with neurosurgeons, Ms Nishat Marzia’s son, Alamgir Khan Feroze, decided that the non-invasive option of Gamma Knife treatment was the best course to follow for his then almost 70-year-old mother.
While a Gamma Knife neurosurgery unit in Singapore was identified, he wanted a world-leading surgeon to operate on his mother, and this led him to Amethyst UK at Sheffield’s Thornbury Radiosurgery Centre. As one of the largest providers of specialised radiation treatment services covering most tumour types and treating over 20,000 patients a year, the Amethyst Gamma Knife Centres in London and Sheffield are both centres of excellence that treat previously inoperable brain tumours and conditions.
Alamigir says, “This hospital had the latest Gamma Knife machine, and Dr Kemeney was pioneering this treatment so because I love my mother very much, and she deserved the best treatment, we went to the Thornbury Radiosurgery Centre.”
Despite the tumour’s large size and difficult placement, Ms Marzia’s treatment was successful. She went home and lived a full, active, and happy life, ensuring education was available in her country.
Health-conscious Ms Marzia had yearly checks and MRIs after the treatment; however, after missing two due to the pandemic, a new meningioma was detected on the right side of her brain in 2022.
Once the shock subsided, the family decided to head back to Sheffield, where a brand-new Icon machine was in place, and the leading surgeon was now Mr Rowe having taken over from Dr Kemeney.
Mr Rowe comments, “After studying Ms Marzia MRI scans and following an extensive video consultation with the family, I recommended that treatment start immediately. The tumour was small and not embedded into the nerve, thus posing less than a 1% chance of damaging the nerve if treated, and treatment would be effective and easy to target. The family were reassured and as with all patients we want to ensure they can make a confident and informed decision, which they did.”
The procedure was carried out in November 2022, and within two hours, Ms Marzia was discharged and is back at home, continuing her pioneering work in education today, something to be celebrated as we approach International Women’s Day on 8th March.
Alamgir explains, ‘My mother worked extremely hard her whole life; we owe her a lot, and everything we have is because of her. We wanted her to get the best possible treatment, which Amethyst UK and their team gave us. We are forever grateful, so thankful.”
Amethyst UK works in partnership with the NHS to treat previously inoperable brain tumours and complex conditions.
Featured Photo by Milad Fakurian on Unsplash
