Istanbul Organ Transplant Association Launches Meaningful Campaign

The Istanbul Organ Transplant Association, established to develop organ donation awareness in society and contribute to scientific education and research at national and international levels, aims to present Turkey's achievements in organ transplantation to different cultures and healthcare professionals around the world. Prof. Dr. Murat Tuncer, noting that 10,000 dialysis patients are lost every year, stated that the association has launched the #vesileol campaign to draw attention to cadaveric organ donation. Nursel Eriş, who donated her kidney to her son-in-law Selim Altuğ Karabay approximately 6 months ago, touched upon the importance of organ donation; journalist Didem Seymen Balcı, who received a kidney transplant from a cadaveric donor years ago, also shared her experience.

At the meeting held at Grand Hyatt Istanbul, moderated by journalist and author Ayşe Arman, Prof. Dr. Murat Tuncer, Chairman of the Board of the Istanbul Organ Transplant Association, provided information about the association's roadmap, transplant processes and procedures.

At the meeting, transplant patients and newly transplanted patients gathered; journalist Didem Seymen Balcı, who herself underwent kidney transplant, described her transplant operation and the subsequent treatment process. She offered important advice on what needs to be done for a better quality and more comfortable life after transplant. Another person who shared her experience at the meeting was 70-year-old Nursel Eriş, who donated her kidney to her son-in-law. Eriş said that her mother-in-law was a dialysis patient, and her heart was never willing to accept her son-in-law going on dialysis, and she gladly gave her kidney. Nursel Eriş, who said "young generations must be saved," called on everyone to be conscious about organ donation. Selim Altuğ Karabay, who received a kidney from his mother-in-law, pointed to the importance of organ donation, saying "One must think that this could happen to me one day. Saving a life is very special." Prof. Dr. Murat Tuncer stated that their aim is to inform all segments of society, particularly physicians and patients, about organ donation and transplantation. Prof. Tuncer noted that they aim to highlight Turkey's achievements in this field by presenting the country's successful work in organ transplantation to different cultures and healthcare professionals around the world, and said they will organize meetings to share experiences with medical professionals working in various parts of the world on crossover transplantation. Prof. Tuncer said: "The first of these meetings will take place with the arrival in Istanbul of a 12-member group of organ transplant surgeons and nephrologists from Egypt on 29-30 August 2019, and they will receive training on desensitization and multiple crossover transplants, the latest developments in organ transplant practice. This training will be open to all other transplant teams in our country." Prof. Dr. Murat Tuncer continued his remarks as follows:

'Noting that multiple crossover transplant operations, which are performed only at Yale University in the United States, are also successfully carried out by physicians in our country, "We aim for our country to become an international center in organ transplantation."

Prof. Dr. Murat Tuncer, stating that many unfounded urban legends circulate about organ transplantation and that these claims are baseless, said: "One of these is the view that there is favoritism in organ transplant waiting lists. There is absolutely no favoritism in cadaveric transplants. Our people should be confident in the justice of the system. There are 70,000 dialysis patients in our country. There are 22,000 people on the waiting list. According to this picture, 50,000 people have no hope at all. We want to break this fate." Prof. Dr. Murat Tuncer: "The primary goal of our association is to prevent the loss of dialysis patients reaching 26 per day, to provide our people with their most fundamental right, the right to life, with scientific advances in the manner they deserve, and to bring our country, and especially Istanbul, to a leading position in the field of organ transplant training and practice worldwide," he expressed his thoughts.