As she was a severe thalassemia patient, 10-year-old Emine Gümüş had been clinging to life with regular blood transfusions, but she was cured with stem cells brought from Germany.
Emine Gümüş, a patient with a severe form of anemia called "thalassemia major," held on to life with a stem cell transplant from Germany.
According to a report by Anadolu Agency, it was understood from tests conducted when she was still in the womb that Emine, the daughter of Ayhan and Duriye Gümüş, who live in Kızılcabölük neighborhood of Koçarlı district in Aydın, had a genetic disease. The family decided to bring their baby into the world and went to the Ege University Faculty of Medicine for a blood transfusion every month to keep their daughter away from a series of diseases extending from her heart to her bones and liver.
WHEN THE DONOR GAVE UP ON BEING A STEM CELL DONOR...
Emine, who did not grow in height like her peers and could not continue her schooling, became sicker at the age of 9, and her doctors explained to the family that she needed a stem cell transplant to prevent fatal outcomes. A Turkish donor who had previously applied to be a stem cell donor was found to be a tissue match with Emine, and the little girl's family was invited to the hospital for the transplant procedure in November 2016.
However, the family, who was disappointed when the first donor gave up on being a stem cell donor at the last minute, received good news from Germany in June. The Izmir Society for Children's Homes also supported Emine and her family, who were discharged after the transplant procedure was performed by doctors at the Ege University Children's Hospital. The family, who was accepted into a house of the association in the Konak district, is preparing to return to their hometown after their bi-weekly checkups at the hospital.
Emine's mother, Duriye Gümüş, said she never thought of giving up on her daughter, but she described how her daughter was fading away before her eyes with each passing day. Gümüş, who said she was very happy when a suitable donor was found for the transplant, said, "I knew Emine was sick when she was in my womb. They told me she would live for a maximum of 40-50 years. We applied for a bone marrow transplant, and we were very happy when a match was found. We were very upset when the donor in Turkey backed out. We wanted our daughter to get better as soon as possible, and a suitable donor had been found, but he gave up at the last minute. We were sad. Then, the news that made us happy came from Germany." Duriye Gümüş stated that they overcame the disappointment caused by the first donor when Emine regained her health.
SHE WANTS TO BE A TEACHER
Emine, who held on to life with a stem cell transplant, said she was tired of blood transfusions and was very sad because she could not go to school. Emine, who said she cried a lot because she was short due to her illness, expressed that she can now go to school like her peers and that she really wants to be a teacher.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Malbora from Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, along with Prof. Dr. Savaş Kansoy and Prof. Dr. Serap Aksoylar from Ege University Faculty of Medicine, reported that Emine Gümüş regained her health after a successful follow-up and treatment process.
Source: Habertürk