BUFFALO, N.Y. — An Israeli family is back home after traveling to Buffalo so their 18-year-old daughter could have brain surgery at Gates Vascular Institute.
They flew to Western New York with their whole family just as the war was starting so they could be together.
Noa Haroush, 18, has a rare blood vessel disorder called Moyamoya. It is so rare, it only impacts one to three people in a million. Her family found one of the only doctors in the world who could do the surgery to treat it at Gates Vascular Institute.
"It was very, very comfortable to know that we're in good hands because it's my life. Dr. Levy saved my life, like, literally, and if it was in my country, I don't know what would have happened," said Noa Haroush.
Noa Haroush went through eight hours of brain surgery to prevent strokes. She flew to Western New York with her family from Israel just as the war was starting.
"They were able to fly in on Sunday, and so now the family is going through having their 18-year-old daughter having bilateral brain surgery and dealing with a family at home that's under rocket attack in bomb shelters," explained Dr. Elad Levy, SUNY Distinguished Professor and chair of neurosurgery at the UB Jacobs School of Medicine and Co-Director of the Gates Stroke Center and Cerebrovascular Surgery at Kaleida Health.
"The morning the war started, so we were supposed to come to only me, Noa, and my husband Shume, and in the morning, the war started and we bought tickets for all our children, and we flew all of the family together," said Sharon Haroush, Noa's mom.
As Noa Haroush was in the hospital, the City of Good Neighbors wrapped its arms around the Haroush family making sure they kept busy as Noa was in surgery and a war was starting at home.
"I think sometimes people are placed in other people's lives for a reason, and we don't understand why this timing, but, you know, we did a lot of good," said Dr. Elad Levy.
They returned to Israel on Monday, and want people to know what it's like there right now.
"It's a really bad situation, and the war just started, so, I don't know. So many people were kidnapped. Noa has a friend kidnapped in Gaza," said Sharon Haroush.
"I have a friend who lives in Gaza. I have, like, friends who got killed and like whole families just gone now," said Noa Haroush.
They've already spent time in a bomb shelter since they've been home. But, health-wise, Noa Haroush says she is doing well. She will come back to Buffalo in about six months for a re-check and for now, is staying connected with her medical team online.