Tzameret Fuerst: Pass It Forward!

By Shlomo Maital

Tzameret Fuerst    PrePex

            Tzameret Fuerst                               PrePex

   Tzameret Fuerst is a highly-popular Israeli inspirational speaker, who travels the world telling her story.   Here it is, in short.

     She read about how HIV/AIDS is killing millions in Africa. In Botswana, one in every four persons has HIV.   Unlike the rest of us, she decided to act. She read about WHO research showing that circumcision greatly reduces exposure to HIV, by 70%, because removing the foreskin takes away the HIV virus’ favorite place to hide and invade (foreskin cells are sensitive, prone to abrasions and cuts, easy for the virus to invade). But so what? There is no way we can circumcise millions of African men.

     Well – why not?   Fast forward. Fuerst started Circ MedTech and tackled the problem with passion, and her company developed PrePex. PrePex is a device placed on the penis, that cuts off blood circulation to the foreskin; within a week it drops off. Simple. It has four parts: A placement ring; an elastic ring; an inner ring, and a verification thread. A nurse can install it; no need for surgery or a doctor. It has FDA approval and today, the Gates Foundation, WHO and the World Bank plan to get the device to 20 million men, saving 3.4 million lives and some $16.5 billion.  

     A crucial milestone came when Fuerst, stalled in her efforts to disseminate PrePex, got on a plane and flew to a conference she knew was attended by Bill Gates. She approached him, said “ May I have a few moments of your time, outside?”. Gates agreed. She persuaded him to cut the red tape and help move PrePex forward.

     There is a very personal angle. Fuerst divorced her husband, who was Chair of her company. She felt that as CEO she could not continue, as a result. So she resigned, for the good of the company and its device. She now travels the world, gave a TED talk, and tells her story to inspire others.

     How many of us can say that our energy, persistence, empathy and creativity have saved millions of lives?   Thanks, Tzameret. Your name, in Hebrew, means “summit” or “top”. And you are.