The Case of Ayten
Little two-year old Ayten is the fourth child born to her Syrian parents, but the only one that has survived. Ayten suffers from a chronic liver condition that doctors in Syria, Turkey and Greece had been unable to diagnose; the same condition which killed her three siblings. In April 2016, a ResCo volunteer was informed of Ayten’s case, as her condition deteriorated while waiting to be reunited with her father in Germany. Poor nutrition and inadequate living conditions exacerbated Ayten’s condition, coupled with the fact that her prescribed medications were causing severe side effects including osteoporosis, which made her bones very prone to fractures. ResCo began to support Ayten and her mother by improving their living conditions and assisting them to navigate the medical and asylum system in Greece.
Before ResCo had begun supporting her case, Ayten had already been moved around three different hospitals in Greece, yet her mother was still unable to get the medical documentation she needed to expedite her asylum to Germany. Through the tireless cooperation of ResCo volunteers and doctors in Greece, Germany and elsewhere, Ayten’s medical condition was re-assessed, clearly confirming that the medical treatment she desperately needed to save her life was not available in Greece. Viewing this case as an emergency, ResCo linked into its extensive network of connections to get Ayten and her mother to Germany as fast as possible, where they would finally be re-united with Ayten’s Father, who had already received his residency in Germany.
In June 2016, Ayten finally made it to Germany, where a highly specialized team of pediatricians is successfully managing her medical condition. Through the continuous support of ResCo from Greece to Germany, their asylum proceedings were also expedited, to ensure Ayten would be covered under the national health insurance mechanism in Germany. In October 2016, Ayten and her mother received their residency in Germany. A lead ResCo doctor in Germany regularly assists in coordinating Ayten’s medical care. We truly cherish the joy we have seen in this family being reunited and the hope that Ayten will live a full and healthy life.
