Shopkeepers team up to raise funds for Asya

AN EVENT in Geçitkale raised 80,000TL to support nine-month-old baby Asya, who is fighting type 1 Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Under the leadership of the Olive Tree Education and Aid Association (Zayder), Geçitkale shopkeepers teamed up to sell food and beverages and organised tournaments in the village square.

Hundreds of people attended the event last weekend and the income from sales was transferred to donation accounts in the name of Asya Polatlı, which were opened with the approval of the district governor at İş Bankası, to contribute to the treatment of baby Asya.

The money was raised from sales of döner kebab, liver, village bread, muffins, hellim, homemade pastries, cakes, lemonade, coffee, sweet corn and crepes, and from the tournaments.

During the charity night, Geçitkale Municipality and regional volunteers also gave a plaquette to Asya’s mother Güler Polatlı and wished Asya a speedy recovery.

Mrs Polatlı thanked the Geçitkale sellers and volunteers for the event in aid of her daughter.

“We held our Geçitkale event, it was a very nice crowd,” she said. “Many thanks to everyone who came, contributed and supported our Asya.

“I accept the plaquette and flowers . . . with love, not only as Asya’s devoted mother but on behalf of all mothers. Because motherhood always requires sacrifice, not just in sickness. Many thanks to everyone who contributed and stood by us.”

She said that her daughter is currently being cared for at their home in Gönyeli but cannot breathe independently.

The family of Asya have so far raised 200,000TL but say they need $2.5 million – roughly 22 million TL – for potentially life-saving gene therapy called Zolgensma, dubbed the most expensive drug in the world.

A previously reported fundraising campaign for another baby from the TRNC with type 1 SMA, Karel Karaoğulları, who is in a hospital in Turkey, has raised 1 million TL.

Type 1 is the most severe form of SMA. Infants with type 1 SMA have difficulty swallowing and sucking and don’t meet typical milestones such as holding up their heads or sitting.

As muscles continue to weaken, children become more prone to respiratory infections and collapsed lungs (pneumothorax), according the US-based Cleveland Clinic.

Donations of 20TL per text message for baby Asya can be made by texting “Asya” to 6474. Donations can also be made to the following bank accounts:

Account name: Asya Polatlı Account numbers/IBAN: TRY: 6804-0147569/ TR07 0006 4000 0016 8040 1475 69 SWIFT CODE: ISBKTRISXXX USD: 6804-0177604/ TR41 0006 4000 0026 8040 1776 04 EUR: 6804-0177619/ TR24 0006 4000 0026 8040 1776 19 GBP: 6804-0177623/ TR13 0006 4000 0026 8040 1776 23