From Displacement to Diagnosis – Give Refugee Cancer Patients a Fighting Chance!

In light of the ongoing humanitarian crisis, refugee cancer patients seeking treatment in Turkey are facing overwhelming challenges. An estimated 2,500 patients are currently scattered across the southern Turkish provinces of Gaziantep, Hatay, Şanlıurfa, Kahramanmaraş, Adana, and Malatya.

These patients are not only battling cancer — they’re also struggling with severe financial, logistical, and psychological burdens. Their fight for survival is compounded by the lack of resources, transportation, and emotional support.

A Daily Struggle Beyond the Disease

🚗Transportation Hardships: Patients must travel long distances to reach specialized treatment centers, often incurring $200–$500 in travel expenses each month — a crushing burden for already vulnerable families.

👶Children Left Alone: Many young patients undergo chemotherapy or radiation without the comfort of a parent or guardian, as hospital regulations often prohibit companions.

🏠Unfit Shelters: The shelters housing these patients often lack heating, hygiene, food, or basic privacy — turning the treatment journey into a prolonged humanitarian ordeal.

💊High Medical Costs: Most medications are not free, and monthly treatment expenses for individual cases often range between $300–$500, without consistent support.

Real Human Stories

🧓Kulthoum, 70 years old, battles breast cancer while living in a shelter. She spends $200 per month on transportation and $300 on medication — all out-of-pocket.

👩‍🦱Nadia, another breast cancer patient, pays about $450 monthly for travel and treatment, while living in a basic shelter.

👧Ayla, a young girl suffering from a tumor and corneal swelling, lives with distant relatives. Her treatment costs about $500 per month, and she receives no psychological support or companionship during care.

📣 Through this campaign, we urgently call on donors and compassionate individuals to support these patients by:

• Providing free, safe transportation to hospitals
• Allowing caregivers to accompany children during treatment
• Improving shelter conditions and offering food, hygiene, and utilities
• Delivering psychosocial support to patients and families
• Ensuring free, regular access to vital medications and treatments

🕊️Cancer should not be a journey of suffering. Let’s stand together to bring them hope and healing.