14.08.2026 00:31
The life of Kubilay Cankurt, who became paralyzed in 2017 in Kocaeli due to a fracture in his cervical spine, was turned upside down when the device that had stopped his spasms for 7 years reached the end of its lifespan. Although surgery was planned for a new device, the operation could not be performed because Kocaeli University Research and Application Hospital did not approve the purchase of the device, which costs approximately 350,000 TL. Experiencing severe spasms and pain, Cankurt said, 'I am in a painful situation. I can no longer bear it.'
In 2017, Kubilay Cankurt, who became paralyzed after breaking his neck when he fell into the sea in Marmaris, had a "baclofen pump" placed in his body in 2019 to prevent involuntary spasms. The device, which improved Cankurt's quality of life, reached the end of its 7-year lifespan on August 1st.
WHILE WAITING FOR APPROVAL FOR THE 350 THOUSAND LIRA DEVICE, HIS LIFE TURNED INTO A NIGHTMARE Surgery was planned at Kocaeli University Research and Application Hospital to install the new device. However, the operation could not be performed because the medical company's offer of approximately 350 thousand lira for the new-generation device was not approved by the hospital administration. Cankurt, who started experiencing severe spasms and neuropathic pain again after the device stopped, and became bedridden due to wounds on his hip, called on authorities to resolve the surgery issue.
"AFTER THE SEA ACCIDENT, HE STAYED IN THE HOSPITAL FOR 8 MONTHS AND UNDERWENT 9 SURGERIES" Describing what he went through, Kubilay Cankurt said, "On July 31, 2017, I fell into the sea and broke my cervical spine. I stayed in the hospital for 8 months. We were living in Marmaris at the time. Later, we applied to Kocaeli University Research and Application Hospital for physical therapy and other hospital needs, and we settled here. During that time, I had gotten used to life with a disability. I could easily go out with my electric wheelchair. I could even do small buy-sell trades and translation work, but later, heterotopic ossification began to form on my hips. This time, they forced me into long periods of hospitalizations, surgeries, radiation therapy, and physical therapy. After having surgery on my right hip once, the bone formation there completely stopped, but I have had 9 surgeries on my left hip to date, and there are still at least 3 more surgeries I need to have," he said.
"WITH THIS DEVICE, MY SPASMS HAD ENDED" Stating that he has been bedridden for the last 8 months, Cankurt continued: "I have a wound on my hip due to the surgeries I had for this heterotopic ossification. A vacuum device called VAC is attached to these wounds. We are waiting for them to drain and finish the internal discharge. Once that discharge ends, my plastic and orthopedic surgeons can operate again, close the open tunnel there, and get me back to my social life outside in my wheelchair healthily. But the biggest problem I am experiencing right now is intense spasms due to my disability. My disability is called spastic paraplegia. Because the nerves cannot communicate healthily with each other, it can feel like electric burns in different parts of the body, and neuropathic pains occur. For these, I had a device implanted in 2019 at Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Hospital. With this device, my spasms went away, and life suddenly became beautiful. My happiness, motivation, everything increased a lot."
"THE 7-YEAR DEVICE'S LIFESPAN EXPIRED, IT COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN ON AUGUST 1ST" Noting that it was known months in advance that the device's lifespan would expire and that they had planned the surgery with the hospital, Cankurt said, "In the last week of July this year, my medical supplier informed me that my device would shut down. I relayed this to my physician in the neurosurgery department at Kocaeli University Research and Application Hospital. My doctor told me that these surgeries had started being performed at this university as well, as they were previously only done in a few major hospitals. I was very happy. We even arranged my anesthesia report two months in advance. On August 1st, my device completely shut down," he said.
"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE" Cankurt stated that the device he uses is an older generation, noting that new devices are referred to as third-generation, and there is a price difference between the two devices. Cankurt said, "When I spoke with the medical company, they told me that so far, this surgery has only been performed at one medical faculty, and a price difference of nearly 200 thousand lira was charged to the patient there. Normally, it was around 100 thousand lira, but they said it was like this because it is an upgraded version in terms of software. When Kocaeli University asked for a price, the medical company offered 350 thousand lira. However, Kocaeli University Research and Application Hospital did not approve the purchase of the device. I need to be operated on urgently right now. My body is constantly spasming, and I am in pain. I have reached the end of my rope. I don't know what to do. Unfortunately, the authorities in the hospitals' purchasing units do not approve because they think too much money from the revolving fund will go to these devices. I am in a painful situation. I can't take it anymore. I am asking for support urgently right now. I just want a hospital where I can have the surgery," he said.
"MY MOTHER MEETS ALL MY NEEDS" Explaining that he surprised his family by coming home and that the accident happened the next day when they went to the sea together, Cankurt said, "My mother meets all my needs. Thank God for my mother; we laugh together, we cry together. We are one body, the two of us. She always says, 'You complete me, and I complete you.' We try to complete each other as much as we can, but as we experience such health problems and as they become insurmountable, we become helpless and our hope fades somewhere. I have always been a positive person. I always look at life from a positive perspective. I try to see the glass as half full. But how much more positive can I be about myself? How much more is there left to look at positively? I don't know, because as I continue to live, increasing my zest for life, a lot of obstacles come up in front of me. Especially regarding health. I don't know anymore, we are falling short," he said.
"HE IS MY LIFE, MY SOUL" Arzu Mutlu, a 52-year-old mother who single-handedly undertakes the care of her son, tearfully requested help, saying: "I take care of my son all by myself. As long as I can stand on my feet, I will care for my son. I will continue to care for him. He is my life, my soul. His mind works, and my body works. We complete each other, but problems arise. This upsets me greatly. We were very hopeful about this surgery. They said they couldn't perform the surgery even if we had the money. Now we are looking for a solution. We are looking for a hospital, a doctor who will perform the surgery. I am asking for help."