Organ donor to be commemorated with forest in western Turkey

IZMIR - Doğan Nes Agency

Hürriyet Photo

Officials have announced plans to create a memorial forest in the memory of organ donor Nil Buket Gülergin, who died in a traffic accident in İzmir in January.

Gülergin, 19, was traveling as a passenger in a car driven by a friend of hers when the fatal accident occurred.

She was treated for two weeks at a hospital before she was officially declared brain dead. Her parents decided to donate her organs, a move that reportedly saved the lives of seven other people.

Friends of Gülergin launched a donation campaign on social media to purchase trees in order to plant a forest.

"She gave life to others, and we will keep her alive with this forest,” the friends said in their call.

The campaign, which started March 14 and will run until May 15, aims to collect as many as 10,000 saplings.