Poyraz: 'I was 7 and nearly finished with the third grade when I got a bad cold that just wouldn’t go away. You still don’t expect anything serious, though. So, we went on our planned road trip to Turkey. Once we arrived, my mom suddenly noticed all these bruises on my body.'
Tugce: 'It was supposed to be our first long stay there, six weeks with our family at my parents’ house. But soon after we arrived, Poyraz’s health rapidly declined. He was so ill, lethargic, and just wanted to lie on the couch—nothing like him at all. Thanks to my brother-in-law, we quickly got an appointment with a pediatrician. Before even taking a blood sample, he suspected leukemia.'
Returning to the Netherlands
A blood test soon confirmed the pediatrician's fears: Poyraz had leukemia and needed urgent treatment. The family had been in Turkey for only four days but wanted to return to the Netherlands as quickly as possible. Tugce: 'I didn't tell Poyraz anything about the diagnosis until we were back in The Netherlands. I know how much pedagogical knowledge is used in the Netherlands while explaining such complex things to children. I wasn't sure how this would be handled in Turkey. Therefore, I wanted him to hear it in the Netherlands.'
Unfortunately, the journey back to the Netherlands was no easy task. Tugce: 'Poyraz was too ill to travel by car or a regular flight. I had endless discussions with the insurance company, but we couldn’t come to an agreement. At one point, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I had to process my emotions as well. How could I handle this?' Eventually, with help from their family, Tugce managed to arrange a medical flight back to the Netherlands. She boarded the plane with Poyraz; her husband and their other two children drove home.
Step by step
Upon landing, Poyraz was immediately taken to the Princess Máxima Center and informed about his illness. Poyraz: 'I had heard the word ‘cancer’ before, but didn’t really understand what it meant. I was very nervous and unsure of what to expect. What was going to happen to me now that I had leukemia? I took everything step by step and just let it happen.'
The ensuing treatment was intense. Poyraz: 'It was hard becoming so weak. At one point, I couldn’t walk anymore and had to use a wheelchair. The chemotherapy made me very nauseous. And having a feeding tube inserted—I really didn’t like that at all.' Yet, Poyraz bravely faced his treatment. Tugce: 'I am so proud of how he handled everything. He accepted that all these awful things were part of the process, knowing it was all to make him better. Getting better was his only goal.'
Gaming in the room
Fortunately, there were also good moments at the Máxima Center. Poyraz: 'I remember well when friends came to surprise me at the Máxima Center with something I really wanted: a PlayStation 5!' Tugce: 'With the staff at the Máxima Center, we were able to set it up in his room, so he could play games during his stay. It was a great way to help him get through the long days.'
Saying goodbye to the Máxima Center
In September 2023, Poyraz received the best news: he was finished with his treatment, and the leukemia was gone from his body. The moment he received the flower bead is still clear in his mind: 'I was so happy. I thought: Yes, no more chemo! I could see that everyone around was also glad that the treatment was over.' Tugce: 'Yet, it felt bittersweet for me too. After the treatment, it felt like we were losing a bit of stability. Our time at the Máxima Center was over, and we had to manage on our own again. Where do you start? The center had become like a second home to us; I had many wonderful moments there. Like the time I could organize Iftar during Ramadan with my girlfriends. That such a thing was possible in a center was very special to me.'
Nowadays, Poyraz is doing well. He is back in school and can do almost everything other children his age can. Poyraz: 'At first, I noticed I got tired more quickly, probably because of the chemo. Now, thankfully, I don’t have that problem anymore; I do everything my classmates do. I still love gaming, I read Japanese manga books, and I also really enjoy learning other languages. Later, I’d love to travel to Dubai and New York!' When asked for advice for other children at the Máxima Center, Poyraz doesn’t hesitate: 'If you can, keep smiling. That’s what my mom and I did, and it really helped.'
Tugce: 'It was supposed to be our first long stay there, six weeks with our family at my parents’ house. But soon after we arrived, Poyraz’s health rapidly declined. He was so ill, lethargic, and just wanted to lie on the couch—nothing like him at all. Thanks to my brother-in-law, we quickly got an appointment with a pediatrician. Before even taking a blood sample, he suspected leukemia.'
Returning to the Netherlands
A blood test soon confirmed the pediatrician's fears: Poyraz had leukemia and needed urgent treatment. The family had been in Turkey for only four days but wanted to return to the Netherlands as quickly as possible. Tugce: 'I didn't tell Poyraz anything about the diagnosis until we were back in The Netherlands. I know how much pedagogical knowledge is used in the Netherlands while explaining such complex things to children. I wasn't sure how this would be handled in Turkey. Therefore, I wanted him to hear it in the Netherlands.'
Unfortunately, the journey back to the Netherlands was no easy task. Tugce: 'Poyraz was too ill to travel by car or a regular flight. I had endless discussions with the insurance company, but we couldn’t come to an agreement. At one point, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I had to process my emotions as well. How could I handle this?' Eventually, with help from their family, Tugce managed to arrange a medical flight back to the Netherlands. She boarded the plane with Poyraz; her husband and their other two children drove home.
Step by step
Upon landing, Poyraz was immediately taken to the Princess Máxima Center and informed about his illness. Poyraz: 'I had heard the word ‘cancer’ before, but didn’t really understand what it meant. I was very nervous and unsure of what to expect. What was going to happen to me now that I had leukemia? I took everything step by step and just let it happen.'
The ensuing treatment was intense. Poyraz: 'It was hard becoming so weak. At one point, I couldn’t walk anymore and had to use a wheelchair. The chemotherapy made me very nauseous. And having a feeding tube inserted—I really didn’t like that at all.' Yet, Poyraz bravely faced his treatment. Tugce: 'I am so proud of how he handled everything. He accepted that all these awful things were part of the process, knowing it was all to make him better. Getting better was his only goal.'
Gaming in the room
Fortunately, there were also good moments at the Máxima Center. Poyraz: 'I remember well when friends came to surprise me at the Máxima Center with something I really wanted: a PlayStation 5!' Tugce: 'With the staff at the Máxima Center, we were able to set it up in his room, so he could play games during his stay. It was a great way to help him get through the long days.'
Saying goodbye to the Máxima Center
In September 2023, Poyraz received the best news: he was finished with his treatment, and the leukemia was gone from his body. The moment he received the flower bead is still clear in his mind: 'I was so happy. I thought: Yes, no more chemo! I could see that everyone around was also glad that the treatment was over.' Tugce: 'Yet, it felt bittersweet for me too. After the treatment, it felt like we were losing a bit of stability. Our time at the Máxima Center was over, and we had to manage on our own again. Where do you start? The center had become like a second home to us; I had many wonderful moments there. Like the time I could organize Iftar during Ramadan with my girlfriends. That such a thing was possible in a center was very special to me.'
Nowadays, Poyraz is doing well. He is back in school and can do almost everything other children his age can. Poyraz: 'At first, I noticed I got tired more quickly, probably because of the chemo. Now, thankfully, I don’t have that problem anymore; I do everything my classmates do. I still love gaming, I read Japanese manga books, and I also really enjoy learning other languages. Later, I’d love to travel to Dubai and New York!' When asked for advice for other children at the Máxima Center, Poyraz doesn’t hesitate: 'If you can, keep smiling. That’s what my mom and I did, and it really helped.'