An oncologist conquered the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro: "I thought my heart would leap out of my chest!"

Oncologist Irina Sosnina from Moscow has conquered the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

https://www.kp.kz/daily/27660/5044882/2025-02-04 09:34:52

Irina Sosnina has been working as an oncologist for nine years. Photo: provided by the MMC "Kommunarka"

CHALLENGES OF THE PROFESSION

- As a child, I often played hospital, and I even had my own shelf with little bottles and toy syringes. In the 11th grade, I decided to apply to medical school. Initially, I chose surgery, but then I saw how many patients had oncological conditions during consultations. That's when I realized that I would enter the residency for the specialty "Oncology," - recalls Irina Sosnina.

Eight years have passed since then. Now, Irina Sosnina works as an oncologist at the MMC "Kommunarka." The patients are very diverse: with tumors of the breast, esophagus, stomach, skin, and more.

- When I first started working, a young woman came to us with a bowel disease, stage four. The disease was progressing, and she had already undergone a huge number of chemotherapy sessions. And you know what? Not only does she not despair, but she also helps those around her, literally charging them with her optimism, - shares the specialist.

She continues: medicine is constantly evolving; new drugs, techniques, and algorithms are emerging. Targeted therapy, for example, where medications attack a specific tumor at the molecular level, sometimes visibly reduces it. It seems that in our time, anything is possible!

Irina Sosnina initially wanted to become a surgeon, but then realized how needed oncologists are. Photo: provided by the MMC "Kommunarka"

The truth is that nowadays, more and more people are paying attention to their health and seeking help in a timely manner. Early diagnosis allows for the detection of diseases at early stages and faster initiation of treatment. However, medical professionals believe that miracles do not happen, so even after a tumor "disappears," patients remain under supervision and undergo regular examinations.

- What is the most challenging part of your job? - I ask the oncologist.

Irina Sosnina is silent for a moment, then replies:

- The hardest part is telling a patient that they can no longer be treated. That their body simply can't take it anymore. And it’s even more difficult and painful to say this in the presence of relatives, especially when the patient is young.

WHERE TO FIND INSPIRATION

It is clear that not everyone can endure such work. But Irina Sosnina has colleagues who are always ready to lend a shoulder. And she has hobbies. In fact, two.

- In 2019, near my parents' house, I saw people throwing stones at a stray dog. I felt terrible for her and for the other animals without a home. I started looking for ways to help them, - she recalls.

Initially, it was informational support for a shelter, then Irina took on the responsibility of caring for five dogs. Later, together with her colleagues, she began visiting shelters: helping with walking, delivering food and supplies. She doesn’t have the opportunity to have a pet herself – her profession takes up too much time. However, her parents have three dogs (one of which is a former stray) and cats. Some are quite elderly: the poodle Flash is 14.5 years old, and the cat Muka is 20. All the animals in this family are surrounded by care and genuine warmth.

At Irina Sosnina's parents' home lives a former mutt named Marusya