HAVE YOU EVER MET A TRUE HERO

So, they started to work and decided that each year, the last week of May would be a week full of laughter, events, festivals. And the news was send to whole world in order to include children with leukemia from all around the world. As the time goes by, International Week for Children with Leukemia has been recognized by nearly 50 countries. Children with leukemia from all around the world have come to Turkey, have had a great time, have forgotten their pains during the treatment and remembered that they are still children. They have supported each other and showed everyone that “leukemia is a treatable disease.”

From that day to this, International Week for Children with Leukemia has been recognized with colorful events.  

LOSEV Foundation for Children with Leukemia is being prepared to celebrate 12th International Week for Children with Leukemia with many colorful events. The week, which is going to be between May 24 – 31, is embraced by many volunteers, foundations and of course children – not only in Turkey but all around the world. It is expected for millions of people to say “NO TO CANCER” and support TRUE HEROES, whose life has been touched by the cancer

With 25 children and their mothers from 25 countries will also join the celebrations in Turkey and show the world that they are not alone in this fight! 

12th IWCL PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES:

BULGARIA, MOROCCO, JORDAN, SERBIA, LITHUANIA, UKRAINE, AZERBAIJAN, CHINA, FINLAND, MONGOLIA, BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA, POLAND, KYRGYZSTAN, SLOVAKIA, RUSSIA, SPAIN, CROTIA, TURKISH REPUBLIC OF NORTHERN CYPRUS, KAZAKHSTAN, AUSTRALIA, KOSOVO, MACEDONIA

Chairman of the LÖSEV Board, Pediatric Hematologist – Oncologist Dr. Üstün EZER’s message on the occasion the 12th International Week for Children with Leukemia:

A little child, who plays with joy, suddenly falls weak, runs a fever and is taken to the hospital. He sets on a journey that takes 3 years. He is now in another world, in a battle called leukemia, all alone… Moreover, he loses his hair, has bleedings, and his body resistance and immune system collapses. The same difficulties are experienced not only in our country, but in the whole world. Barack Obama mentioned about the same issue in his victory speech, which he addressed to the world on November 7, 2012:  

“And I saw just the other day, in Ohio, where a father told the story of his 8-year-old daughter, whose long battle with leukemia nearly cost their family everything… And when he spoke to the crowd listening to that father’s story, every parent in that room had tears in their eyes, because we knew that little girl could be our own.” 

Let us set aside our routines, ambitions to earn money or to gain power, for a week, for a few days or at least for a few hours. Let us support the children of the world, who share the same destiny and who struggle against leukemia. Let us try to understand their innocent worlds, remember that our children could also have leukemia and not leave them alone. Let us declare them as “Our True Heroes” who have tiny brave hearts battle against leukemia monster. Let us celebrate this week, which is going to be organized for the 12th time, as “our” week, not “theirs” and celebrate with a huge turnout.  We look forward to all over Turkey to our outdoors, saloon and sea events.  

12th International Week for Children with Leukemia Event Schedule

Carnival Program   

ANKARA 25 MAY SATURDAY/ 12:30 – 17:00 True Heroes Carnival , Kuğulu Park – Çankaya

İSTANBUL 25 MAY SATURDAY/ 15:00-17:00 True Heroes Carnival , İstiklal Caddesi – Taksim 

BURSA 25 MAY SATURDAY/ 12:00-17:00 True Heroes Carnival, Kent Meydanı AVM - Osmangazi

ANTALYA 25 MAY SATURDAY/ 17:00-19:00 True Heroes Carnival , Yavuz Özcan Parkı – Atatürk Cad. 

İZMİR 25 MAY SATURDAY/ 16:00-19:00 True Heroes Carnival, Soyer Kültür ve Sanat Fabrikası- Bayraklı

Activity program

İSTANBUL  26 MAY SUNDAY/ 15.00 - 18.00 - Squares are for True Heroes - Ortaköy Meydanı  

BURSA  26 MAY SUNDAY / 08.00- 17.00 – Heroes of Peak - Uludağ Peak March- Uludağ

ANKARA  1 JUNE SATURDAY / 10:00  - True heroes Visit Mustafa Kemal Atatürk –the Founder of the Republic of Turkey – Anıtkabir 

Weekday Program 

BURSA 27-31 MAY - Opening of the Exhibition of Significant Work from True Heroes - Şefik Bursalı Art Gallery