“Kia ora, my name is Clark Pirika from Rotorua, Aotearoa NZ and I’m 54 years old. I have been a big guy all my adult life but continued playing all kinds of sport which is an important part of who I am. During my 20’s and early 30’s, my weight fluctuated between 130kg - 150kg which I could manage easily. I suffered a back injury playing rugby in 1992, so was bed-ridden for nearly 6 months and my weight ballooned to 190kgs. I did all the diets known to man and would lose a little bit and gain a lot more. Typical yo-yo syndrome. By the time I turned 48, I had peaked at 239kgs and now I had arthritis in my knees, hip and back to contend with. After a number of meetings with various people in Rotorua to discuss bariatric surgery, I received a call from Dr Tom Babu based out of Silverline Hospital, in Kochi India. Fast forward to April 2018, my wife (and my support) Kirstin and I, plus my cousin who was supported by my Uncle, travelled to Kochi to undergo this new journey. We were met and greeted by Dr Tom Babu and his outstanding staff. Silverline’s Hospital pre-op check is very comprehensive, to ensure we’re actually good for the surgical procedure, or not. Post surgery is when Dr Tom and his team really came to the fore. The nursing team are without peer and the surgical team were outstanding. Language was not a barrier either and with Dr Tom Babu at the helm, he was able to talk through any detail in a way that I could understand. And everyone was so friendly and accomodating. My whānau and I are preparing to return home as I write this testimonial and we appreciate Dr Tom and his professional team so very much, for their tautoko (support), aroha (love) and manaakitanga (hospitality and care) provided to my whānau and I.”
Clark Pirika, Rotorua, Aotearoa, New Zealand