31.10.2026 12:01
Tuğba Aypaz, who was diagnosed with terminal-stage leukemia at the age of 7.5 in Denizli and whom doctors said would 'not make it to the morning,' held on to life by making pencil drawings during her treatment. Aypaz, 22, who beat the disease 1 year ago with a cord blood transplant brought from Spain, met İsmail YK—whom she had spoken with on the phone during her treatment—14 years later at his concert in Denizli and gave him a drawing she had made.
Tuğba Aypaz (22), who was diagnosed with leukemia in Denizli when she was only 7.5 years old and whose doctors told her family that the disease was in its final stage and said “She won’t make it until morning,” held on to life by making pencil drawings during her treatment. Aypaz, who beat leukemia a year ago, said, “I constantly distracted my mind by drawing, stayed attached to life, and returned to living. I beat the disease, and now I want to be hope for other patients.”
Tuğba Aypaz, one of the three children of Aslan Aypaz (52), an electrician living in Karaman Neighborhood, and housewife Nesrin Aypaz, became ill at school in 2012. Aypaz, who was taken to the hospital with complaints of nausea, vomiting, fever, and constant drowsiness, was first diagnosed with the flu. However, when her complaints continued, Tuğba Aypaz was referred to Pamukkale University Hospital and was diagnosed with leukemia in tests. Aypaz, who was determined to be in the final stage of the disease, was taken into treatment. Doctors told her family that Tuğba Aypaz’s chance of survival was very low and said, “She won’t make it until morning.” However, Aypaz came out of intensive care. During treatment, Tuğba Aypaz did pencil work in her hospital room, and her interest in drawing increased during this process. Tuğba Aypaz, who received a cord blood transplant brought from Spain, beat leukemia a year ago with the support of her family, doctors, and nurses. Aypaz also drew a pencil portrait of the singer İsmail YK, whose fan she is. Tuğba Aypaz, who spoke with the singer by phone at that time, had her dream come true 14 years later. Aypaz met the singer whose fan she is at his concert in Denizli and gave him the drawing she had made. Aypaz later also drew pictures of people she loves, such as Semicenk and the writer Işıl Işık, and sent them to them.
I BEAT THE DISEASE, NOW I WANT TO BE HOPE FOR OTHER PATIENTS
Tuğba Aypaz, a graduate of the Painting Department of the Fine Arts High School, who said she wants to encourage children receiving treatment like herself, stated that in addition to her pencil works, she draws characters on jeans using acrylic paint and continues to improve herself in drawing. Explaining that she never lost her will to live and that she found morale by drawing during treatment, Aypaz said, “I was diagnosed with leukemia in 2012. They told my family that I was in the final stage of leukemia. They even said, ‘She won’t make it until morning,’ they said I had no chance of survival. By a miracle, I opened my eyes and held on to life. During treatment, I devoted myself to drawings and computer games in the hospital. I learned to draw. I decorated the room I stayed in with drawings. I researched, improved myself, drew constantly, and never gave up. Even the children who came after me loved the room very much. Doctors, my family, and nurses supported me a lot. As a family, we were all together, we gave each other strength, and we bonded. I never gave up my determination against the disease. I never thought about my illness. I constantly distracted my mind by drawing, stayed attached to life, and returned to living. I beat the disease, and now I want to be hope for other patients. I am someone who survived the final stage. I know that all difficulties can be overcome, as long as there is morale and happiness.”
MY DREAM CAME TRUE AFTER 14 YEARS
Tuğba Aypaz, who explained that during treatment she spoke with the singer İsmail YK by phone, said, “I am one of his biggest fans. He was one of the best medicines in my life. I got back on my feet and came back to myself. I had said, ‘If you come to Denizli, I want to hug you.’ He also said he wanted to hug me. Fourteen years after this conversation, İsmail YK came to Denizli for a concert. I met him and we met up. I hugged him. My dream came true after 14 years. I gave him the pencil portrait I had made for him. He became strength and power for me.”
MY DAUGHTER DID NOT GIVE UP, AND WE DID NOT LEAVE HER
Nesrin Aypaz, on the other hand, stating that her daughter was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 7.5 years old, said, “My daughter was diagnosed with leukemia in 2012. It was a difficult struggle. They said, ‘She won’t make it until morning, final stage.’ We got through it, we beat it, thank God. Now she is 22 years old and has dreams.”
Stating that her daughter never gave up throughout the illness, Aypaz said, “We did not leave her either. After overcoming the illness, she improved herself by devoting herself to drawings and sketches. She makes drawings on jeans with acrylic paint. She draws pictures of celebrities and reaches out to them. We became united, gave each other strength, and reached this point.”