04.09.2025 19:26
In the Efeler district of Aydın, 44-year-old farmer Cihan Topal has regained his life through a double arm transplant, the first of its kind in Turkey. After losing both of his arms in a work accident, Topal is now determinedly picking olives, riding a motorcycle, and advocating for organ donation.
Cihan Topal, a 44-year-old man who made history in medicine with the first double arm transplant performed in Turkey and who has clung to life again, impresses with his determination. Topal, who drives cars and motorcycles, collects olives, raises chickens, and takes care of his sheep with his transplanted arms, has also started this year's fig harvest.
THE FIRST DOUBLE ARM TRANSPLANT IN TURKEY WAS PERFORMED
Cihan Topal, a married father of two who farms in the Terziler neighborhood of Aydın's Efeler district, lost both of his arms in a work accident in 2008. While Topal applied to Akdeniz University Hospital in Antalya for an arm transplant, the good news came two years later. The two arms of 23-year-old Fatih Demirel, who lost his life in a traffic accident in Milas, Muğla, were transplanted on September 25, 2010, by Prof. Dr. Ömer Özkan and his team from the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Akdeniz University Hospital, making Topal the first patient in Turkey to undergo a double arm transplant.
"I NEVER GAVE UP THE FIGHT"
Topal, who has started the fig harvest in his garden in Terziler neighborhood, shared his experiences. Topal said, "Between 2008 and 2010, I had no hands; I lived like this for two years. Now you hold the branch of the tree, you feel it. Just holding this leaf and feeling it, being able to pick a fig from here and eat it is a different feeling, a different joy. Because think about it, you have lost both your hands; if you give up on life, your life is completely over. But you have to keep fighting; you should never give up the fight. I never gave up; I asked for everything from God. Thank God, I clung to life with the first double arm transplant surgery that took place in Turkey on September 25, 2010," he said.
"GOD ACCEPTED OUR PRAYERS"
Topal mentioned that he named his son, born in 2014, after Prof. Dr. Ömer Özkan, who performed the surgery, saying, "When I committed to this surgery, I said, 'God, let me hold my daughter's hand and take her to a park. I want to have two hands to take her to school and stroke her hair; I don't want anything else.' Thank God, God accepted our prayers. I committed to this surgery to hold my daughter's hand, to take her for a walk in a park, to be able to stroke her hair. And now, thank God, my daughter is studying nursing. God willing, she will start her internship this year. There is no feeling as beautiful as their happiness, being able to hold their hands, and hugging them. These are very beautiful feelings in my life, moments I have experienced," he said.
"DREAMS TURNED INTO REALITY"
Topal emphasized that he can now do everything with his hands and enjoys this happiness, stating, "I can drive my car and motorcycle. We collect our own figs and olives. I can do these myself. I feed the chickens, give them water, and collect the eggs. All of these were actually dreams. They were all dreams, but as I said, you have to keep fighting. If we had given up the fight, we wouldn't be alive today. That's why, thank God, many beautiful things have changed in our lives. We will not say, 'What have we become?' but 'What will we become?'" he expressed.
CALL FOR ORGAN DONATION
Topal pointed out the importance of organ donation, saying, "If I am alive today and can do everything, I owe it to organ donation. Thanks to organ donation, I can do everything today. If there were no organ donation, these surgeries wouldn't happen, and no one could do them. I wish everyone would be sensitive to organ donation. All my organs, including my face, have been donated. I donated when I got my driver's license in 2000. I donated years before the surgery. Thank God for these days. Every healthy citizen is a potential candidate for disability every minute, every day. We must not forget this. We need to help our disabled brothers and sisters. Let's all try to help as much as we can. But organ donation is very important," he urged everyone to be sensitive.