Story By: Feza Uzay, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
This beautiful Turkish expat, who lost her hands and feet while living in Germany due to a disease she caught four years ago, has gone back home to Turkey with the dream of having a double arm transplant.
Beyza Dogan, 24, a dental technician living in Cologne, in Germany, was diagnosed with a meningococcal infection four years ago. Beyza, whose kidneys collapsed due to the blood poisoning that followed, also lost her arms and legs.
The young woman was saved when a kidney was donated by her mother Mihriban Dogan, 54, two years ago in Germany, and as soon as she had come to terms with the terrible tragedy that occurred, she became determined not to give up on life and had started researching for a double arm transplant.
That led Beyza back to Antalya with the guidance of their family doctor, General Surgery Specialist Dr Levent Yilmaz. She was introduced to Professor Omer Ozkan, a lecturer at Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, at the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, who is world-renowned for his double arm and face transplants.
After various tests, Beyza joined the queue to wait for a donor to have a double arm transplant.
Dr Levent Yilmaz stated that he has been following Beyza for a long time and said, “Beyza lost her upper and lower extremities due to meningococcal disease, which she had unfortunately caught while living in Germany.
“She even lost her kidneys because of this, and as a result, she had to have a transplant from her mother. During her controls, I thought that the most suitable place for multiple limb transplants was Akdeniz University Hospital. And I immediately met with Dr Omer Ozkan and made an appointment with him for Beyza.”
Dr Omer Ozkan said, “Currently, she is using her prostheses. She continues her life, but she has certain problems. She seems motivated and willing for limb transplants. She is a suitable patient for indications. Her tests are already done.
“There are no problems with the tests so far. When deemed appropriate, she will be placed on the transplant list. When a suitable donor is found, there is no obstacle in terms of transplantation for Beyza.”
Dr Omer Ozkan noted that 20 patients are waiting for donors for facial transplants and 43 patients for double arm transplants at the Organ Transplantation Center.
Beyza, on the other hand, said that she got over what she has been through. Stating that she tries to be positive, Beyza said, “Dr Omer Ozkan is very experienced in this. I am very happy, and I am eagerly waiting for his good news. My only dream is to have surgery as soon as possible.”
