Mon Health Urology - Minimally Invasive, Advanced Urology Treatments

Aaron Hawkins with his wife during a trip to Alaska

Aaron Hawkins wasn’t overly alarmed when he began using the bathroom more frequently, especially at night. His primary care provider prescribed medication to help the issue, but after some time, he decided to research the UroLift procedure. During that research, he found Dr. Shakuri-Rad, Urologist and Robotic Surgeon at Mon Health.

“Dr. Rad did some testing after my first appointment and found a tumor in my prostate which had extended into my bladder. Further testing revealed that it was a stage III cancerous tumor,” Aaron said. “Good thing for me is that Dr. Rad is also a robotic surgeon, and I had found the right guy at the right time.” 

After identifying the tumor, Aaron let Dr. Rad know that he and his wife had been planning a 50th anniversary celebration in Jamaica with his entire family. Worried about what would happen in the future, he offered to cancel, but Dr. Rad assured him that he would make his celebratory trip.

“Dr. Rad worked extremely hard to get me scheduled for the prostatectomy with enough time to recover before the trip. The good news was the margins around the prostate and lymph nodes were all clear. We decided to discuss next steps when we returned,” said Aaron. “He told me that I would recover in time, and he was right. I can’t thank him enough for helping me enjoy the time with my family – it would not have happened without his expertise and medical skills.”

After returning home, Aaron sought out several opinions on how he should proceed with his treatment. It was decided that he would receive radiation treatments that finished in April 2022, almost a year to the day from his initial surgery with Dr. Rad. “Now I’m back to doing the basic activities that I’m used to,” remarked Aaron.

“The staff at Mon Health Urology were very polite, professional, and courteous. It can be intimidating going in for a problem such as mine, but I was at ease throughout the entire process. The surgical team made me feel very comfortable and they were always pleasant,” he said.

Mon Health Medical Center has achieved accreditation as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery by the Surgical Review Corporation. In addition, Dr. Rad has been recognized as a Master Surgeon and Surgeon of Excellence. The Mon Health team is equipped with the latest surgical systems which uses advanced, robotic, computer, and optical technologies. This means safer procedures, better outcomes, and quicker recoveries for patients. 

“Dr. Rad has a special place in our hearts, the way he cared from the initial meeting, to finding the problem, all the way to treatment. He was so informative on what we needed to consider and broke it down in simple language,” he said. “I can’t say enough good things about him; he saved my life and gave me extra time here with my family. I am so appreciative of his talent and skill.”

Aaron is a Fairmont, WV native and met his wife of 50 years while attending Fairmont State University. He spent four years in the Air Force before starting his career in finance and banking. Together Aaron and his wife share two children and five grandchildren. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with family.    

When it comes to the latest in minimally invasive, advanced treatments, choose Mon Health and Feel the Difference. To learn more and schedule an appointment today, visit MonHealth.com/Urology.