Yusuf Koyun
February 11, 2021•Update: February 11, 2021
ADANA, Turkey
A police officer in southern Adana province donated stem cells to a woman waiting for a bone marrow transplant.
Memduh Iscan, who has served for 26 years in the provincial police department, donated stem cells at Cukurova University Balcali Hospital after his genes matched a woman who was waiting to be treated.
"The tests were made again. It was stated that I could be a donor as a match was achieved in the tests. Then stem cells were taken and transplanted to the patient," he told reporters.
Iscan said that his department supported the donation campaign launched by the Adana branch of the Turkish Red Crescent in 2015, adding that he, like many other officers, regularly makes blood donations.
"In addition to ensuring the safety of people's property, the police also struggle to ensure the safety of life. I also became a stem cell donor in order to be a hope for a patient. I recommend everyone to donate stem cells and to cure patients," he said.
Iscan also stated that the process of obtaining stem cells from a donor was "not a difficult process as expected,” and it was not much different from the procedure of a blood donation.
*Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev from Ankara
