Superheroes Came for Zeyd: His Dream Came True

The superhero dream of 4-year-old Zeyd Aras Bilgin, who is being treated for leukemia, became a reality. Zeyd, who had hung pictures of superheroes on the windows of his hospital room, wanted the heroes to come to life. After a video shared on social media by his mother, Kader Bilgin, reached a wide audience in a short time, a volunteer team took action and surprised Zeyd.
Zeyd's interest in superheroes found a response thanks to the video shared on social media. Mother Kader Bilgin shared footage showing her son's admiration for heroes and his desire to see them, and the video quickly attracted attention.
A team wearing superhero costumes visited Zeyd in his room at Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital. Appearing before Zeyd in Batman, Joker, and Iron Man costumes, the team made a big surprise for him. The excitement on Zeyd's face was evident when he saw the heroes in front of him, and he also wore a superhero costume for the special day.
Mother Kader Bilgin stated that many people reached out to them after the sharing, and that a volunteer team carried out this surprise. The event provided emotional moments for both her family and the hospital staff.

'We Are at a Very Good Stage in the Treatment Process'

Providing information about the health status of 4-year-old Zeyd, who is being treated for leukemia, Dr. Çetin Timur, a Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Specialist from Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital, said: "Our patient is currently 4 years old. He was 3 years old when he came to our hospital. When he applied, he had complaints such as weakness, fatigue, and bone pain. As a result of the tests we conducted, we diagnosed the patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This is a disease that needs to be treated. We finalized the diagnosis quickly, hospitalized our patient, and started his treatment. His treatment has been ongoing for about 7-8 months. Although it is a long-term disease, it is more common, especially in this age group. The most common period is between the ages of 4 and 5. Today, the treatment success rate is much higher than in the past. We can now speak of recovery rates above 90 percent. At our hospital, we follow our patients by applying current and effective treatment methods. There was a difficult period at the beginning, but we are at a very good point now and are nearing the end of the treatment. Approximately 10-15 days of treatment remain."

'Morale Directly Affects Treatment'

Stating that social and play-based activities are very beneficial for pediatric patients, Dr. Timur said: "We call the treatment we apply 'curative treatment.' That is, the aim is to completely eliminate the disease and ensure that the child continues their life in a healthy way. The goal of treatment in childhood is to completely eradicate the disease so that the individual can continue their education and life healthily. Our patient, Zeyd, is going through this process very well. His compliance with treatment is high, and he is showing a positive course. He has a great interest in superheroes. He draws pictures in his room and hangs them on the walls. This increases his motivation. He was very happy when he learned that superheroes would visit him. High morale also positively affects the treatment process. As the child's motivation increases, their nutrition, compliance with treatment, and general condition improve. Especially such social and play-based activities are very beneficial for pediatric patients."

'Early Diagnosis Is of Great Importance'

Emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis, Dr. Timur said: "Leukemia is known as blood cancer among the public. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a type that progresses more rapidly. Early diagnosis is of great importance in this disease. When diagnosed early, the treatment success rate increases significantly. Symptoms that families should pay attention to include prolonged fever, weakness, fatigue, pallor, bruising on the body, and especially leg pains. When such complaints are seen, it is very important to consult a pediatrician or a hematology specialist without delay."

'He Thinks Haydarpaşa Train Station is Batman's Home'

Drawing attention to Zeyd Aras's interest in superheroes, mother Kader Bilgin said: "We learned about Zeyd's illness by chance. He was three years old. When we went to the health center to give blood, they noticed that his values were very low. Then, with tests done quickly, he was diagnosed within about a week. As soon as we got the diagnosis, we came to this hospital, to Dr. Çetin. Our treatment process continues now and we are nearing the end. We are progressing very well, there is very little left until it ends. Zeyd was constantly talking about superheroes. He was very eager about this, so much so that after a while he started to tire us all out. Normally, he is not a child who likes to do activities very much, but one day he said, 'Let's draw these.' So we colored together and hung the drawings on the window of the room. He thinks Haydarpaşa Train Station, which is visible from where we are, is Batman's home. Then, by saying 'hocus pocus,' he started to think that they would become real. I wanted to record that moment, and that video came out. Honestly, I never thought it would get so much appreciation."

Stating that they received intense attention after the video shared on social media, Bilgin said: "We received a lot of messages after the sharing. Many people wanted to come, wanted to support. I thank them all very much. They reached us via social media, then they got in touch with our head nurse and said they wanted to visit. Also, I thank our doctors, nurses, and all hospital staff very much. They welcomed us very well from the moment we first came to the hospital. Zeyd is not afraid here at all, he doesn't experience any anxiety. This makes us very happy. We also come to the hospital not with fear, but with peace of mind."