TRIBUTES were paid over the weekend to a young Turkish woman who documented her fight against cancer on social media.
Neslican Tay, 21, died on Friday, September 20, at a private hospital in Istanbul where she was being treated since September 15.
She was a student at the city’s Bahçeşehir University, and had won hearts in Turkey and beyond having beaten cancer three times before.
Ms Tay, whose left leg had to be amputated last year, had amassed 160,000 followers on Twitter and 1.3 million on Instagram with her videos and updates. She had been diagnosed with a “malignant mesenchymal tumour with extensive involvement”.
Her death was confirmed by Gazi Yiğitbaşı, head of the Medipol Hospital in Istanbul.
“Due to the multiple organ failure that developed during her [Neslican’s] treatment at the intensive care unit, we lost her at 21.20 today [Friday September 20],” he said.
“We wish God’s mercy on her and patience to all who loved her.”
A statement from Bahçeşehir University said: “We will remember our student Neslican Tay with her smiling face and the spirit of life that inspires everyone with her great struggle. May God make your place a paradise.”
Senior Turkish figures were among those to pay tribute to Ms Tay. Writing on Twitter İbrahim Kalın, spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said: “You are gone but you left goodness, determination and hope.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also offered his condolences, tweeting: “Your struggle and resistance set an example to all of us, your joy of life gave hope to everyone.”
“Your struggle, your hope and your beautiful smile will never be forgotten,” sports club Beşiktaş wrote on Twitter.
Opposition İyi (Good) Party leader Meral Akşener and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, together with a host of Turkish celebrities, and Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe football clubs also issued tribute messages.
