Maja:

Thank you so much for agreeing to have this interview — it’s very valuable for me and I hope for people who will watch it, because it’s quite extraordinary.
You came from Canada, and you had a bilateral knee replacement here, right?
So, I just want to ask some questions and speak about the experience — how you see it.
So tell me, where in Canada are you from? And maybe let’s start with the travel arrangements.
How did you travel? How long did it take? And do you think the burden of the travel was worth coming here?

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Farley:

Well, definitely it was worth it. I come from Western Canada, Alberta Province, which is just east of British Columbia, in the capital city of Edmonton.
It’s around 22 hours to get here — two plane changes — but it was absolutely worth it.
In Canada, you get on a waiting list to get a knee replacement, and I’d been on that list for about a year and a half with no end in sight.
And then, when the first operation is done, you’re on another waiting list for the second knee.
The longer you wait to fix your bad knee, the more pressure you put on the other knee, and that can cause hip problems too.
I had two bad knees — bone on bone — so I came here expecting to do just one knee.

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Maja:

What made you decide to come to Poland?
Since we know many people from Canada go to Mexico or India for surgery, how did you decide on Poland?

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Farley:

The main reason was your aftercare.
I arrived on a Sunday, had the operation on Monday, and then had two weeks of aftercare — physio every day, people helping, managing pain — and it wasn’t that bad.
It was really the aftercare — no one else offered that, even in Canada.
There, you pay more or similar prices, but you’re sent home the next day with no rehab.
Here, you stay for therapy, which is the most important part of recovery.
I spent three weeks in total — two for the second knee, three for the first — and it was well worth it.

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Maja:

You mentioned that during the second operation, you didn’t have a “good” leg to rely on — how did that feel?

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Farley:

That was my concern, but the first knee healed so well that therapy was easy.
The second one is still fresh — about a week old — but I’m confident it’ll be fine.
Physical therapy is key. You have to communicate with the team, tell them how you feel, and they adjust the plan.
I would totally recommend coming to Poland for a knee replacement  just for the aftercare.

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Maja:

Have you ever been to Poland before?

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Farley:

No, though my wife and I had considered it before COVID.
I’ve seen videos, but this is my first time here.

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Maja:

How would you compare this medical facility and level of care to what you’d get closer to home?

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Farley:

It’s hard to compare — I’ve only had one other major surgery, a hip replacement in Canada.
If you break something, you get treated immediately.
But for elective surgeries like knee replacements, you wait — and wait.
The hip surgery in Canada was good, but the waiting system for knees is the problem.

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Maja:

What surprised you most about this experience — positive or negative?

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Farley:

A pleasant surprise was the quality of care.
Everyone — physiotherapists, nurses, doctors — genuinely cared.
They checked on me, explained things, asked questions.
In Canada, it’s different now — staff shortages, time pressure — so this personal care was a very nice surprise.

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Maja:

And how do you feel after having two surgeries? Ready to go home?

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Farley:

Yes, I’m ready for the next phase.
Now it’s just continuing physio at home.
I was surprised by how little pain I had — not pain-free, but far less than expected.
And the medication here is balanced — not too heavy.
Maybe I felt less post-op pain because I had so much before surgery.

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Maja:

I remember we had some logistical issues with the payment at first — you thought you could pay by credit card remotely.
Could you share how you resolved it?

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Farley:

Yes — we just needed to set up the credit card limit properly.
In Canada, we’re used to paying over the phone, but here you need the physical card.
Once I had my card linked to the right account, it worked fine.
Communication goes both ways — we had to ask the right questions, and you assumed we understood.
So, the lesson: bring a physical card!

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Maja:

Do you have any recommendations for other Canadians who consider coming to Poland for a knee replacement surgery?

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Farley:

Do your research, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend coming here.
And if possible, stay in the hospital rather than a hotel.
Being on-site is much easier and safer — no commuting, no logistics stress.
Everything’s in one place: hospital, therapy, care, food.

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Maja:

Speaking of food — that’s something people often ask about.

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Farley:

Yes! That was a big surprise — the food was amazing.
You get meals from two local restaurants — scallops, halibut, salmon, steak tartare — nothing like hospital food in Canada.
It’s something you actually look forward to every day, like an all-inclusive holiday.
The portions were huge, and the quality was incredible.

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Maja:

That’s wonderful to hear. Thank you so much — I think we can finish here.

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Farley:

Thank you for taking the time — and now, it’s time for my lunch!