Bizim Lösemili Çocuklar Vakfı was founded to bring the treatment of children with leukemia and every kind of support their families need under one roof. Treatment, accommodation, education and psychosocial support are treated as inseparable parts of the same thing.
History
Our founders: the then Governor of Istanbul Nevzat Ayaz, Namık Şentürk, Sacide Ayaz and İhsan Şentürk; our first president, Prof. Dr. Gündüz Gedikoğlu.
1980
The beginning
Philanthropists and doctors came together. Work began under the patronage of Governor Nevzat Ayaz, chaired by Prof. Dr. Gündüz Gedikoğlu.
1983
Foundation deed
Official foundation status. Bizim Lösemili Çocuklar Vakfı was registered; tax exemption followed in 1986.
1986
A 25-bed ward
An attic in Çapa became a ward. The 25-bed ward built in the disused attic of the Istanbul Faculty of Medicine children's clinic was opened by Prime Minister Turgut Özal and Semra Özal.
1989
26 October · First transplant
Türkiye's first paediatric bone marrow transplantation unit. The first paediatric transplant was carried out the same year; 199 transplants followed, with results meeting world standards.
1998
Haliç University
Haliç University was founded, with us as its founding foundation. The foundation's experience in health and education continued under the university's roof as well.
Bugün
46th year
Treatment, accommodation, education and play under one roof. After treating 1,139 children with medication and carrying out 199 bone marrow transplants, we continue to stand beside families.
Our purpose
Leukemia treatment takes months and shakes the family's working life, the siblings' schooling and the household budget all at once. The foundation takes on the part of that burden nobody else covers: medication and test costs, accommodation for families from other cities, education and play inside the hospital, and follow-up after treatment.
An activity report and financial statements are published every year.
A treatment schedule is never left to depend on a donation schedule.
Programmes are run with doctors and specialist teams.
Support is decided by the child's need, not the family's income.
Statistics
We do not round the numbers down; we show them one by one. The figures below are based on the official records of the foundation's first thirty years and are published alongside current period reports.
More projectschildren treated with medication
children's ward opened in 1986
Opened by Prime Minister Turgut Özal and Semra Özal; the first institution to give children with leukemia private rooms.
bone marrow transplants
children's ward opened in 1986
26 October 1989 — every paediatric transplant centre in the country traces its lineage back to here.
We cover the uncovered costs of medication, blood products, tests and transplantation.
Play and art therapy in hospital rooms, and educational support for children who have had to pause school.
We provide accommodation and travel support throughout treatment for families coming from other cities.
We raise awareness about leukemia, stress the importance of early diagnosis and spread our movement for good.