A suitable bone marrow donor could not be found for 1-year-old Moussa Rody, the son of a Lebanese couple, in Lebanon, neighboring countries, or Europe. The family applied to the Turkish Stem Cell Coordination Center (TÜRKÖK) through Izmir City Hospital. With the identification of a compatible donor, little Moussa regained his health through a successful bone marrow transplant.
Radwan Rody (34), a computer engineer in Lebanon, and his wife Riham Rody (30), a homemaker, learned shortly after the birth of their son Moussa that he had a severe immune system disorder. Doctors stated that a bone marrow transplant had to be performed before he turned one in order for him to survive. The family began searching for a suitable donor for their only child. Despite screenings in Lebanon, neighboring countries, and Europe, no compatible donor could be found.
Racing against time for their son's health, the family applied to Turkey within the scope of health tourism. In February, a match was found through TÜRKÖK. After receiving a positive response from Izmir City Hospital, the Rody family came to Turkey. One month ago, Moussa underwent surgery performed by a team consisting of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Salih Gözmen, Dr. Neryal Tahta, and nurse Nimet Gemalmaz. The operation lasted two hours and was successful. After a one-month follow-up period, Moussa was discharged in good health.
“We Have About 1 Million Registered Donors in TÜRKÖK”
Providing information about the transplant process, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Salih Gözmen said:
"Our patient was a child with severe immunodeficiency. Treatment had begun in his home country, but since a suitable donor could not be found, the transplant could not be performed. In February, a match was identified through TÜRKÖK. After completing the necessary tests, we admitted the patient and carried out the transplant at the beginning of May. The process went smoothly, and the patient is now in a condition to return home healthy."
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gözmen emphasized that Turkey has an advantage in bone marrow transplants compared to other countries in the region and added:
"When TÜRKÖK was first established, there were no registered donors. Today, we have nearly 1 million donors. This was made possible thanks to the guidance of the Ministry of Health and the humanitarian sensitivity of the Turkish people. Being able to offer a treatment that is not possible in many other countries is a source of great pride for us."
“We Share Our Experience in Turkey with Everyone”
Father Radwan Rody said:
"We found out about our son's illness shortly after his birth. We searched for a donor in Lebanon and Europe for a long time but couldn’t find one. We applied to Turkey and were informed that a donor had been found. The operation was very successful. We are grateful to the entire team."
Mother Riham Rody also shared her experience:
"Everyone here was very attentive and supportive. I share what we experienced in Turkey with everyone. I wholeheartedly recommend this place to everyone."