01.11.2026 11:40
1.5-year-old Hatice Duru Okur and 8-year-old Hatice Mehlika Keskin, who were receiving treatment for kidney failure at Başkent University Hospital in Ankara, regained their health through a cross transplant. Fathers Ejder Okur and Ali Keskin, whose kidneys did not match their own daughters, donated their kidneys to each other's children. Hatice Duru became the youngest patient to undergo a cross kidney transplant.
In ANKARA, 1.5-year-old Hatice Duru Okur and 8-year-old Hatice Mehlika Keskin, who were waiting for kidney transplants at Başkent University Hospital, held on to life thanks to cross kidney transplants from their fathers. Hatice Duru's father Ejder Okur (24) donated his kidney to Hatice Mehlika, and her father Ali Keskin (39) donated his kidney to Hatice Duru.
The family of Hatice Duru Okur, living in Kahramanmaraş, applied to hospital when their daughter was 2 months old due to swelling in her eyes. Diagnosed with kidney failure in tests, Hatice Duru was brought to Ankara for treatment and followed at Başkent University Hospital. Hatice Mehlika Keskin, living in Yozgat and receiving treatment for 4 years with kidney failure diagnosis, also came to Ankara for treatment during this process.
TISSUES WERE CROSS-MATCHED
While families struggled to restore their children's health, tests at hospital found tissue compatibility between Ejder Okur from Kahramanmaraş and Hatice Mehlika Keskin from Yozgat. The tissue of her father Ali Keskin also matched Ejder Okur's daughter Hatice Duru. In transplant planning, the two fathers became kidney donors for each other's children instead of their own. In operations performed on October 22, Hatice Mehlika Keskin's father Ali Keskin gave his kidney to Hatice Duru Okur. Hatice Duru's father Ejder Okur donated his kidney to Hatice Mehlika Keskin. The children regained health with the cross transplant performed through their fathers' kidney donations.
In the operation performed by Başkent University Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Haberal and his team, 1.5-year-old Hatice Duru Okur became the youngest patient to undergo a cross kidney transplant.
8-YEAR-OLD MEHLIKA: ORGAN DONATION SAVES LIVES
Hatice Mehlika Keskin, a second-grade student who regained her health after the transplant, drew attention to the importance of organ donation and said, "Ejder abi donated his kidney to me. I thank him very much. My father also gave his kidney to Duru. They went into surgery first, then we went in. It is a slightly painful process, but it passes. Organ donation saves lives. Donate organs to save lives. There are many children like us. Help them, save their lives too. May those children also be well."
Hatice Mehlika Keskin's mother Kübra Keskin, stating her daughter had kidney failure for 4 years and had been on dialysis for 1.5 years, said, "My and my husband's kidneys did not match Hatice Mehlika. Ejder Okur's kidney matched Hatice Mehlika, and my husband Ali Keskin's kidney matched Hatice Duru. Thus the cross transplant took place. It was very surprising. It actually tells that one should not lose hope in life. Donating an organ is truly a magnificent thing. People do not want their bodily integrity to be disrupted. But the greatest legacy they will leave to this life, I think, is organ donation. People should not be afraid at all. Saving a life is a very different feeling. That is, experiencing that feeling, making that donation requires a very noble heart."
Hatice Duru Okur's father, donor Ejder Okur, also recounted they had been dealing with this disease for about 1.5 years, and said, "Thank God, we have now had the transplant and regained our health. At first we were very sad, we cried a lot. But we needed to do something for our daughter to regain her health too. I could not give my kidney to my own daughter. We also entered cross-matching with Hatice Mehlika. Her father's matched my daughter, my kidney matched her daughter. We saved each other's daughters' lives. We are still like in a dream. Because for 1.5 years we constantly dreamed of having a transplant."
THE YOUNGEST CROSS TRANSPLANT PATIENT
Ejder Okur, saying his daughter was well, said, "My daughter was apparently the youngest patient to have a cross transplant. We learned that after surgery too. I hope our other children also regain their health. Our younger children also regain their health. Organ donation saves lives. Everyone is waiting for an organ. There are many patients waiting. Let's donate organs, save lives. Let organs not become soil, not go to waste. There are many patients who can continue their lives with that organ. Let's donate organs, save lives."
Başkent University Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Haberal, noting they have broken many new grounds in Turkey and the world, said, "The number of patients is high, but there are not enough organs. That being so, of course we have to produce some alternatives. One of them is cross transplantation. Many people in the world pass away with healthy organs. Therefore, the more we can benefit from the organs of people who die with healthy organs, the more service we will have provided to however many chronic kidney, liver, heart patients, and chronic organ and tissue patients there are. For both of our girls, their fathers' kidneys matched each other, and we transplanted them. Both are doing very well. Of course, as I said, this is an alternative. But the main alternative is to be able to benefit sufficiently from the organs of deceased people. Now, even though we have an excellent law, we can only benefit at a rate of 30 percent."
Saying there is a new life journey after organ transplantation, Prof. Dr. Haberal said, "The lives of these patients change on the operating table. We attach the kidney, and the kidney starts working on the operating table. We attach the liver, and the liver starts working on the operating table. Life begins there. Therefore, I thank our people very much."