Who is Beyza Dogan? Woman, 24, opts for rare double-arm transplant after losing arms and legs
A 24-year-old Turkish woman will be undergoing a rare double-arm transplant surgery to get a fresh start at life. Beyza Dogan lost both of her arms and legs from meningococcal meningitis - a life-threatening blood disease. The courageous woman became determined to turn her life around and opted to undergo the rare transplant. She approached Dr. Levent Yilmaz, who referred her to Prof Omer Ozkan at the Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine.
Dr Ozkan is a world-renowned expert in reconstructive and plastic surgery. He is especially hailed for his successful double-arm and face transplant surgeries. Now, Dogan will be undergoing the surgery under his supervision, once she finds a suitable donor. "Dr. Omer Ozkan is very experienced in this. I am very happy, and I am eagerly waiting for his good news. My only dream is to have surgery as soon as possible," Dogan expressed her high hopes about the procedure.
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Who is Beyza Dogan?
Beyza Dogan is a 24-year-old dental technician hailing from Turkey. Four years ago, while she was living in Cologne, Germany, Dogan contracted the deadly blood disease that led to all of her limbs being amputated. Her kidneys also collapsed due to blood poisoning, bringing her to the juncture of life and death.
At that time, her mother Mihriban Dogan saved her life. The 54-year-old selfless mother donated her own kidney to save her daughter two years ago. However, Dogan still struggled to perform everyday activities without her limbs. She got used to using prosthetic arms and legs, often posting photos and selfies with or without them. But the young Rihanna fan always longed for a better solution. That is when she decided to go for the double-arm transplant.
“I thought that the most suitable place for multiple limb transplants was Akdeniz University Hospital,” Dogan's first doctor Dr Yilmaz said, hinting at the expertise of Prof Omer Ozkan. Meanwhile, Dr Ozkan shared his thoughts about Dogan - "Currently, she is using her prostheses. She continues her life, but she has certain problems. She seems motivated and willing for limb transplants. She is a suitable patient.”
Currently, Dogan has been put on a waiting list for a donor. Once a matching donor is found, the transplantation surgery can proceed smoothly to offer Dogan a new chance at life.