Shimshon is a 92-year-old retired handyman and IDF veteran who lives in Haifa. In the early 2010’s, he underwent a routine surgical biopsy for skin cancer on his leg. When the wound failed to heal and became a painful open wound, doctors grew concerned that an infection could spread to his bloodstream. Around 2015, Shimshon’s leg was amputated above the knee. 

After the surgery, Shimshon first went to a rehab facility. His family turned to Yad Sarah shortly after for support. They borrowed a wheelchair to keep him mobile in his apartment. Because Shimshon lives in a second-floor walk-up, navigating stairs is nearly impossible, and he rarely leaves his home. 

Since the loss of his wife in 2017, Shimshon has relied on his two sons and his daughter for help, as well as a caregiver, as his children do not live nearby. Throughout the years, Yad Sarah has played an essential role in enabling Shimshon to be comfortable and cared for at home. The organization provided a range of home hospital equipment, including wheelchairs, a bathroom chair, cushions, and more. His family has made numerous trips to Yad Sarah’s Haifa branch to borrow and return equipment as his needs evolved. 

“It was always a good experience,” shared Shimshon’s daughter, Tal. “My brothers were always in and out, no problem.” 

Last year, Shimshon’s condition worsened after he developed a severe infection and was hospitalized. Doctors determined that his muscles had begun to calcify, leaving him bedbound. Once again, Yad Sarah was there.  

After Shimshon was discharged from the hospital, his sons went to the Yad Sarah branch in Haifa to borrow an oxygen machine and tank. 

“The volunteers were very friendly,” said Tal. “We had never used an oxygen machine before, and the volunteers took the time to explain everything and make sure we knew how to use it properly.” 

In another instance, a severe toothache left Shimshon in agony, but he was unable to leave his home for a dentist visit, due to his condition. A call to Yad Sarah changed everything. A volunteer dentist came to his home, extracted the damaged tooth, and effectively relieved his pain. What would have been a significant expense or nearly impossible dental visit became compassionate care, delivered when he needed it most. 

Without immediate access to Yad Sarah’s care, Shimshon would have faced a long and complicated health insurance process to obtain any equipment or support. And without Yad Sarah’s home hospital equipment, Shimshon would be removed from the comfort of his own home and placed in an assisted living facility. 

Today, Shimshon and his family continue to rely on Yad Sarah for compassionate care. His ability to live at home with a caregiver for more than a decade as he became ill and increasingly frail stands as a testament to Yad Sarah’s commitment to providing the people of Israel with the essential resources families need to care for their loved ones.