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AN
URGENT NEED
F. Levent Duyal
Ronald McDonald House
1907
Holcombe Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77030
Phone (281 487 -0983
E-mail:
fduyal@yahoo.com
Dear
friends:
My
name is Levent Duyal. In June 1998, when my daughter Yaprak was 13 years old, she
was diagnosed with Leukemia (ALL).
She began treatment in Turkey where we live.
Seven months into the treatment plan, doctors found
blast cells in her spine and they switched her to high
dose chemotherapy.
Things seemed to be getting worse and I could
not watch my daughter suffer without trying to find
someone or something in this world to help her. After her condition became more severe,
my family and I started to contact hospitals abroad.
When
we sent Yaprak's records to doctors at MD Anderson Cancer
Center, they said they could only diagnose these cells
with a special test, which is not available in Turkey.
We came to MD Anderson in January 1999, where it was
found that test results found no blast cells. We stayed
in the U.S. for one year until Yaprak finished her treatment
and the cancer was in remission.
During
this emotionally difficult time, we focused on the health
of Yaprak and did whatever it took to provide her with
the appropriate medication.
We do not have any medical insurance, so we sold
our home and car to pay for health care. My parents and in-laws also sold their
homes to help pay for medical costs and for our long
stay in the U.S. I have taken out bank loans, and our
friends have raised funds and made generous donations
to help cover the cost of medicine at MD Anderson. Yaprak's mom and I, of course, could not
work while we were outside of Turkey for 20 months.
In
the year 2000, we went back to Turkey and returned in
November of the same year for medication and a check-up.
Yaprak was doing fine and we went back to Turkey very
happy.
In
August 2001, during Yaprak's monthly check-up in Turkey,
doctors found that the leukemia had returned. They said
that she needed a bone marrow transplant.
At
this time, we have absolutely no resources left to handle
the financial requirements of such a procedure in the
U.S. Yet bone marrow transplant is very risky
in Turkey, and we do not have a donor bank. The only way is to find out if my daughter, Yaprak's only sibling,
is a match.
Once
again we returned to MD Anderson to deal with things
one step at a time.
Doctors began to give Yaprak chemotherapy to
get the cancer in remission, so that she may be ready
for a bone marrow transplant.
Our concern is that we have run out of money
and resources and the ability to borrow from anywhere
else. Our
friends continue to try to raise funds but have
also been worried by the expensive cost of transplants,
which is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The
average salary in Turkey is around $500 a month!
Our
family is having an extremely difficult time financially,
dealing with unemployment, lack of insurance, and staggering
medical bills.
We are really desperate and need immediate help.
The
only thing more devastating than having a child with
cancer, it is not being able to provide what she needs
to live. Yaprak has been through so much and has done so well until now. We are appealing to anyone who can help
us raise funds for a bone marrow transplant.
I would
be more than happy to speak to anyone that feels they
can help Yaprak.
My contact information is written above.
Thank
you,
F.Levent
Duyal
=============================================================
YAPRAK
DUYAL IN RAHATSIZLIGI VE YARDIM TOPLANABILMESI ILE ILGILI
HOUSTON DA CHANEL 11 TELEVIZYONU
MD ANDERSON KANSER HASTAHANESINDE 24 SUBAT PAZARTESI
GUNU BIR CEKIM YAPIP BU HABERI 1 HAFTA ICERISINDE 3
GUN OLMAK UZERE YAYINLIYACAKLAR.
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