Turk Cancer Association’s chairperson fights for children with leukemia

ISTANBUL

Burak Duruman, the chairperson of Turk Cancer Association, is creating projects for children with leukemia to make their dreams true due to the will of his father, who died of pancreatic cancer, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Nov. 8.

“My father said, ‘Never give up the works of the association’ just before he passed away. Due to my promise to him, I will fight with this disease until my last breath,” said Duruman.

The latest project of the association is called “Miraculous Accommodation Centers,” which means “Mucizevi Yaşam Merkezleri” in Turkish.

“We supply the accommodation to the families who come to big cities from Anatolia for cancer treatment in these centers for free,” said the chairperson. “Our centres are like five-star hotels. Families can stay here for months.”

Highlighting some data about leukemia, Duruman said: “Every year around 200,000 people get cancer in Turkey. Some 2 percent of these patients are children, of which 31 percent suffer from leukemia. I mean, between 1,000 and 1,200 children get leukemia by birth or when they are one or two years old.”

The chairperson also said there are teachers in these centers who help the kids with their school syllabus while having treatments.

“I am following my promise to my father while I have the honor to help people,” added Duruman in his concluding words.