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Galatasaray New Transfer Undergoes Heart Surgery
🇹🇷 Turkey /Sports

Galatasaray New Transfer Undergoes Heart Surgery

From Cumhuriyet · () Turkish

Translated from Turkish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Galatasaray Women's Football Team's new transfer, Meryem Başkaya, underwent heart surgery.
  • The 21-year-old defender was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot.
  • Başkaya expressed gratitude to Galatasaray and her family, stating her intention to return stronger.

Meryem Başkaya, a recent acquisition for Galatasaray's Women's Football Team, has undergone surgery to address a congenital heart condition. The 21-year-old national team player, who joined the club approximately two weeks ago, was found to have a heart condition during routine medical examinations, leading to the decision for surgical intervention.

Başkaya revealed she has a lifelong condition known as Tetralogy of Fallot. "This has always been a part of my life, but I have never allowed it to define who I am or limit what I believe is possible," she stated. Following her signing with Galatasaray, her medical check-up indicated that surgery was necessary for her safe return to the pitch.

Despite the unexpected news, Başkaya emphasized that health is the top priority. "The surgery has been performed. Now it is time for recovery, rebuilding, and coming back stronger," she said. She expressed her gratitude to Galatasaray for their support since day one, to the medical team, and especially to her family, who she described as her greatest strength throughout the process. Başkaya concluded with a forward-looking statement: "This is just the beginning. See you on the field soon."

I have a congenital heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. This has always been a part of my life, but I have never allowed it to define who I am or limit what I believe is possible. The little girl inside me would be very proud. After signing with Galatasaray, my health check revealed that I needed to have heart surgery to be able to return to the field safely. It wasn't the news I wanted, but health is always the priority. The surgery has been performed. Now it is time for recovery, rebuilding, and coming back stronger. Thank you to Galatasaray, who has been by my side since day one, to the incredible medical team, and most importantly, to my family, who has been my greatest strength throughout this entire process. This is just the beginning. See you on the field soon.

— Meryem BaşkayaBaşkaya described her condition and her feelings after undergoing surgery.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.