Israeli sports legends Esther Roth-Shahamorov and Lee Korzits shared a poignant moment last week At Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva, discussing their health challenges and offering mutual support.
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Roth-Shahamorov, the first Israeli athlete to reach an Olympic final and an Israel Prize laureate, recently revealed she requires a kidney transplant. Korzits, a four-time world champion in windsurfing, has been battling cancer for years.
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Esther Roth-Shahamorov (right) and Lee Korzits meet in the hospital
(Photo: Rabin Medical Center)
The two crossed paths during Korzits' stay at the Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit in Rabin Medical Center. Roth-Shahamorov arrived just before Korzits began her treatment, standing by to lend her support, as she waits for a potential kidney transplant in the near future.
The sports icons spoke of the significance of resilience in the face of their illnesses and the value sports brought to their coping strategies. Korzits shared with Roth-Shahamorov that whenever asked about her role model, she cites Roth-Shahamorov as a major source of influence. The former field and track athlete was greatly touched by this revelation, and both expressed a mutual hope for their next meeting beyond hospital walls.
"I have a grasp of hematology, and I quickly realized I was in trouble," Korzits recently wrote in a Facebook post. "I always knew that once my illness takes a turn, it would transform into a fierce Leukemia monster. A harsh reality hit me. After realizing the gravity of my situation and that I had a serious cancer diagnosis, the doctor returned the next day and told me we need to start treatment. Above all, I knew I wanted to live.
I began chemotherapy and biological therapy in preparation for a bone marrow transplant. Thankfully, the treatment is yielding positive results for me. In the bone marrow examination last week, it showed no signs of disease after seven rounds of chemotherapy. Ahead of me lies another month of chemotherapy and biological therapy, followed by the challenging phase of the transplant, isolation. And my hair, my femininity. My strength resides in my hair. I'm like Samson, aren't I?"