Medical miracle

Steve Lawrence, 45, never imagined that a spontaneous decision during a holiday in Montego Bay, St James would change the course of his life.

What began as a relaxing family getaway turned into a pivotal moment when he opted, on a whim, to take a PSA test for prostate cancer – a disease that had long haunted him as a result of a strong family history.

The results confirmed his worst fear: early-stage prostate cancer.

Returning home to Canada offered little relief. The healthcare system was still reeling in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and, despite his efforts to find top-tier surgeons in both Canada and the United States, Lawrence was met with long waitlists and limited treatment options.

Hope arrived through an unexpected conversation between his wife and United Kingdom-trained surgeon specialising in minimally invasive procedures, Dr Roy McGregor.

“In that moment, everything shifted,” Lawrence recalled.

“My wife spoke with Dr McGregor and immediately knew we had found the right person.”

In May 2023, at Andrews Memorial Hospital in St Andrew in Jamaica, McGregor operated on Lawrence, performing a Cobot-assisted laparoscopic, nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy.

The procedure was a highly precise and minimally invasive surgery involving the use of a mechanical robotic arm controlled by the surgeon, associated with very small blood loss, leaving barely visible scars.

“The following day, I was up walking around with minimal pain,” Lawrence shared.

Within weeks, he had returned to work.

Two years later, Lawrence remains cancer-free with preserved continence and potency.

DR MCGREGOR’S JOURNEY

This was a medical miracle through the surgical expertise and advanced laparoscopic technology available in Jamaica. McGregor and his team’s skill and dedication are transforming prostate cancer care for patients at home and abroad.

McGregor’s journey to becoming an expert in laparoscopic prostate cancer surgery started at St Joseph’s Hospital in Kingston, where he was born.

A graduate of Mona Preparatory School and Campion College, he left Jamaica to pursue medical studies at St Mary’s Medical School in London, earning his Bachelor of Science (BSc), Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degrees.

His passion for research led him to obtain a medical doctorate (MD) from the University of London, which involved research work at Mount Sinai in New York. There, he contributed to research on prostate cancer, developing a method to detect one cancer cell in a million normal cells. This research was later published in an international peer-reviewed journal.

After completing general surgical training, McGregor became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and Ireland (FRCS). He subsequently completed the Imperial Urology training in London, obtaining an FRCS in urology. He remains on the specialist register in the UK as a consultant urological surgeon.

After 20 years working in England, McGregor did a two-and-a-half-year fellowship in Australia, expanding his expertise in laparoscopic prostate and kidney surgery, including kidney stones and transplant surgeries.

He was also trained in Europe to use the Da Vinci Surgical Robot.

PIONEERING LAPAROSCOPIC PROSTATE CANCER SURGERY IN JAMAICA

McGregor is currently the only surgeon performing Collaborative Robot Assisted Laparoscopic prostate cancer surgery in Jamaica, and, to date, has performed on approximately 200 cases.

He is also among a small percentage of highly specialised urologists worldwide who perform laparoscopic prostate cancer surgery.

He explained that this procedure involves making five tiny incisions instead of one large cut, drastically reducing blood loss, pain, and recovery time.

“In open surgery, blood loss can be over a litre, but, with laparoscopy, blood loss is usually about 200 millilitres and sometimes as little as under 100 millilitres,” said McGregor.

“Consequently, many Jehovah’s Witnesses come to me.”

The majority of his patients regain complete urinary control and maintain erectile function post-surgery.

McGregor credits much of his success to his mentor, Professor Christopher Eden, a pioneer in laparoscopic prostate cancer surgery in England.

When they met in Australia, McGregor shared his vision of bringing this technique to Jamaica. Professor Eden agreed to mentor him, travelling to Jamaica every three to four months for three years, helping him refine his skills through intensive case training.

“He was one of the best in England and I was very lucky he took the time to train me,” he said.

At the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James, where he was head of the Urology Department for over 10 years, McGregor raised over US$130,000 to purchase the necessary equipment to perform minimal invasive surgeries.

He is now based at the Andrews Memorial Hospital in St Andrew where he serves as the chief of urology, committed to building out a centre of excellence around prostate cancer care.

THE FUTURE OF SURGERY IN JAMAICA

Cobot-assisted laparoscopic surgery is not just an emerging option – it represents the future of surgical care in Jamaica. While the cost may be slightly higher than traditional procedures, the benefits in precision, recovery time, and overall outcomes make it a worthwhile investment in long-term health.

McGregor’s work is far from complete, but his mission remains clear: “To inform Jamaicans that advanced surgical care is available right here at home.”