The second episode of Super Surgeons: A Chance at Life returns with two compelling stories of patients facing complex and life-altering surgeries. The episode, airing on Channel 4 on Tuesday, 25 June 2024, at 9:00 pm, delves into the journeys of Rich and Tracy as they navigate their respective battles with cancer.
Rich, a 53-year-old former navy pilot, has been fighting epithelioid fibrosarcoma, a rare form of cancer, for the past twelve years. The cancer, which first appeared in his mouth, has recurred multiple times in his head and neck, eventually costing him his career.
Now, he faces his most daunting challenge yet: a massive 16cm tumour that stretches from his jawline down to his heart and wraps around his carotid artery. Consultant head and neck surgeon Professor Vin Paleri assembles a team of vascular and cardiac specialists for a delicate and collaborative procedure that may require sacrificing the major artery.
Meanwhile, 65-year-old Tracy, a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer that spread to her vagina.
On the brink of retirement and looking forward to a leisurely life with her family, she now faces one of the most radical surgeries performed at Royal Marsden.
Consultant colorectal surgeon Mr Shanu Rasheed undertakes a pelvic exenteration, a procedure that involves removing almost all the organs in Tracy’s pelvis.
As the surgeons and their teams prepare for these complex operations, the episode offers a glimpse into the meticulous planning and collaboration required for such challenging cases.
Super Surgeons: A Chance at Life, Season 2, Episode 2 airs on Tuesday, 25 June 2024, at 9:00 pm on Channel 4.
