The family of Hatice Duru Okur, who lives in Kahramanmaraş, applied to the hospital due to swelling in their daughter's eyes when she was 2 months old. Hatice Duru, who was diagnosed with kidney failure during her examinations, was brought to Ankara for treatment and was followed up at Başkent University Hospital. Hatice Mehlika Keskin, who lives in Yozgat and has been treated for kidney failure for 4 years, also came to Ankara for treatment during this period. While families were struggling to bring their children back to health, tissue compatibility was achieved between Ejder Okur, who came from Kahramanmaraş, and Hatice Mehlika Keskin, who came from Yozgat, during the examinations performed at the hospital. The texture of his father Ali Keskin also matched Ejder Okur's daughter Hatice Duru. In the transplant planning, two fathers became kidney donors to each other's children instead of their own children. During the operations carried out on October 22, Hatice Mehlika Keskin's father, Ali Keskin, gave his kidney to Hatice Duru Okur. Hatice Duru's father, Ejder Okur, donated his kidney to Hatice Mehlika Keskin. The children regained their health with the cross-transplantation performed with their father's kidney donation.
Founding Rector of Başkent University Prof. Dr. In the operation performed by Mehmet Haberal and his team, 1.5-year-old Hatice Duru Okur became the youngest patient to receive a cross kidney transplant.
'DONATE ORGANS TO SAVE LIVES'
Hatice Mehlika Keskin, a 2nd grade student who regained her health with the transplant, pointed out the importance of the organ donation and said, "Ejder brother donated his kidney to me. I thank him very much. My father also gave his kidney to Duru. They went into the surgery first, then we went in. It is a bit painful, but it passes. Organ donation saves lives. Donate organs to save lives. There are many children like us. Help them, save their lives too. "Let those children be well, too," he said.
'THE BIGGEST LEGACY IS ORGAN DONATION'
Hatice Mehlika Keskin's mother, Kübra Keskin, said that her daughter had kidney failure for 4 years and had been on dialysis for 1.5 years and said, "My and my wife's kidneys were not compatible with Hatice Mehlika. Ejder Okur's kidney was compatible with Hatice Mehlika, and my wife Ali Keskin's kidney was compatible with Hatice Duru. Thus, the cross transplantation took place. It was very surprising. It actually tells us that one should not give up hope in life. Organ "Donating is truly a wonderful thing. People do not want their physical integrity to be compromised. But I think the biggest legacy they will leave to this life is organ donation. Saving a life is a very different feeling. It takes a great heart to experience that feeling and make that donation," he said.
'WE ARE LIKE IN A DREAM'
Hatice Duru Okur's father, donor Ejder Okur, explained that they have been dealing with this disease for about 1.5 years and said, "Thank God, we have now received the transplant and regained our health. We were very sad at first, we cried a lot. But we had to do something to make our daughter healthy. I could not give my kidney to my daughter. We also crossed matched with Hatice Mehlika. Her father's matched my daughter, my kidney matched her daughter. "We saved each other's daughters' lives. It's like we're still dreaming because we've been dreaming of a transplant for 1.5 years."
'MY DAUGHTER WAS THE SMALLEST CROSS TRANSPLANT PATIENT'
Ejder Okur said that his daughter was fine and said, "My daughter was the youngest cross-transplant patient. We found out after the surgery. I hope our other babies will recover as well. Our younger babies will also be healthy. Organ donation saves lives. Everyone is waiting for an organ. There are many patients waiting. Let's donate organs, save lives. Don't let the organs become soil or go away. There are many patients who can survive with that organ. Let's donate organs, let's save lives."
'THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS IS MANY BUT THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH ORGANS'
Founding Rector of Başkent University Prof. Dr. Mehmet Haberal stated that they have achieved many firsts in Turkey and in the world and said, "The number of patients is high, but there are not enough organs. So, of course, we have to produce some alternatives. One of them is cross transplantation. Many people in the world leave us with their healthy organs. Therefore, the more we can benefit from the organs of people who die with healthy organs, the more we can serve them, as many chronic kidney, liver, heart patients, chronic organ and tissue patients as there are. Both of our daughters are the fathers of each other's fathers." "Their kidneys were in good condition. They are both in good condition. Of course, as I said, this is an alternative. But the real alternative is to benefit from the organs of dead people sufficiently. Now, even though there is a perfect law, we can only benefit from 30 percent," he said.
Saying that there is a new life journey after organ transplantation, Prof. Dr. Haberal said, "The lives of these patients change on the operating table. We attach the kidney, the kidney starts working on the operating table. We attach the liver, the liver starts working on the operating table. Life begins there. That's why I thank our people very much."
