A 37-year old Irish woman can attribute the sister-city relationship between the city of Downey, CA, and County Roscommon in Ireland for connecting her with the surgeon who saved her life.

Seven years ago doctors told Pearl Crosby-Dillon, whose father is the mayor of County Roscommon, that they had discovered a tumor buried deep in her brain.

According to CBS Local News in Los Angeles, a delegation from Downey was visiting County Roscommon last spring when a member of the delegation connected Crosby-Dillon with Dr. Hrayr Shahinian of the Skull Base Institute in Los Angeles.

Dr. Shahinian had developed a revolutionary, minimally invasive method of removing deep brain tumors like Crosby-Dillon's.

“The tumor that Pearl had is located truly in the epicenter of the brain, all the way at the level of the mid-brain,” said Dr. Shahinian.

Said Crosby-Dillon: “I was so relieved. I was like, ‘Finally, there’s a solution to my problem.’ The way I felt before the surgery was that everything was a struggle, everything was really a struggle. Life was a struggle.”

Ten days after surgery, she says she feels great and is looking forward to getting back to Ireland to be with her husband and two children.

“I’m in a different place…I feel like a different person. And I know I have lots to look forward to,” she said.

“This is done. It’s finished. She’s not gonna need anything. She’s not gonna need radiation. She’s not gonna need anything,” said Dr. Shahinian.

"It’s a great story, I think,” said her father and mayor of County Roscommon Tom Crosby. “It’s one that could not have happened but for the connection between Downey and so many thousands of miles away in Ireland.”