The double kidney joy of two siblings.

Siblings who have been waiting for a kidney transplant for 10 years in Sultanbeyli have virtually clung to life for the second time with a recent news. Two kidneys were transplanted to the siblings from a single cadaver. The siblings, who underwent dialysis three times a week, experienced great joy with the kidney transplant.

31-year-old Sezer Öcal and 33-year-old Cüneyt Öcal, who live in Sultanbeyli, had been receiving treatment for kidney failure since their twenties along with their diabetic mother, Necmiye Öcal. Due to genetic “Alport syndrome,” the siblings underwent dialysis for four hours three times a week, facing social life issues because of their treatments. Good news for the siblings, who had been waiting for a kidney transplant for years, came from Kocaeli. Two kidneys were transplanted to the siblings at the same time from a cadaver whose kidneys were donated in Kocaeli.

Transplantation was performed after tissue compatibility

Elder brother Cüneyt Öcal learned about his kidney issues before undergoing hernia surgery. He was diagnosed with genetic “Alport syndrome.” Unable to get results from medication, he had to start dialysis. Sezer Öcal, who went to see a doctor due to his brother’s ailments, was also given the same diagnosis. Following this, the siblings were placed on the waiting list for kidney transplants, one as a primary and the other as a backup. The elder brother was called for transplantation as the primary recipient due to tissue compatibility with the kidneys of a deceased person in Kocaeli, while the younger brother was called as a backup. The kidneys were brought from Kocaeli to Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital at night. The siblings experienced great happiness with the successful kidney transplant.

“Living is beautiful, giving life is even more beautiful”

Cüneyt Öcal expressed that the news of the kidney transplant made them very happy, saying, “We quickly went to the hospital. They took us for organ transplantation. We met the doctor. My brother had come as a backup. While they were preparing me, they also started preparing my brother because they informed us that the other kidney was on the way.” The elder Öcal stated that they had been waiting for a kidney for ten years, saying, “We were over the moon when the kidneys arrived. At first, there was one kidney, and my brother and I made sacrifices. We were saying to each other, ‘you go first.’ Then we were even happier when the doctor said the second kidney had arrived. Thank God the surgery went well. I’m here 24 days later, I’m very happy, we will be able to drink more water than before. When we recover in a year, we will be able to work. God willing, I will get married. May God have mercy on the organ donor and grant patience to their relatives. Living is beautiful, giving life is even more beautiful. Thanks to them, we have hope for our kidneys.”

“The doctor came and brought a surprise”

Brother Sezer Öcal described the transplant process as follows: “They called us for organ transplantation, saying ‘a kidney was found, come right away.’ We went by car. My brother was supposed to be the first to undergo the transplant, and it was said that the other kidney might also come. We waited in the hospital room; my brother was going to the operating room. The doctor came and brought a surprise. He said, ‘you will both have transplants.’ We were so happy. I was happy for my brother, and when it came to me, I was surprised, saying ‘is this a dream?’ My brother had surgery first, then I did. We stayed in the hospital for 24 days, and thank God the treatment went very well. The doctors and the team there took great care. Then we came home. In six months, we will live like normal people. We didn’t drink much water before; now we will be able to, and we will start working.” The mother thanked the family that donated the kidneys, saying, “May God be pleased with them a thousand times. May God never show such pain again; I am very happy.”