Seyizadele Mayor in Turkey Passes Away
Continued Her Duties Wearing a Scarf Over Her Shaved Head
In Turkey, a 37-year-old female mayor passed away just one year and three months after being diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
According to local media outlets such as Turkish Minute, Gulsah Durbay, the 37-year-old mayor who led the Seyizadele district in Manisa Province, western Turkey, died on December 14 (local time) while receiving treatment at Manisa City Hospital.
The mayor of Gulsah Durbay in the Seyizadele district of Manisa Province, western Turkey, recently passed away from colorectal cancer. Mayor Durbay's Instagram
Born in 1988, Mayor Durbay was a member of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Turkey's main opposition party. She was elected in the Seyizadele district election in March last year, becoming the first female local government head in Manisa Province. In September of the same year, she was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Despite undergoing chemotherapy, she continued to fulfill her mayoral duties, covering her shaved head with a scarf. However, her condition worsened earlier this month, requiring surgery, and she was subsequently placed on a ventilator as her health did not improve. Ultimately, after battling the illness for about a year, Mayor Durbay passed away. Following news of her death, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a message of condolence.
Colorectal cancer has traditionally been known as a disease affecting people over the age of 50. However, cases like Mayor Durbay's show that it is not uncommon for colorectal cancer to develop in younger people in their 20s and 30s. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of domestic patients in their 20s and 30s seeking treatment for colorectal cancer nearly doubled between 2020 and 2024. A study conducted last year by the University of Colorado Medical Center found that South Korea had the highest incidence rate of colorectal cancer among people aged 20 to 49 out of 42 countries surveyed (12.9 cases per 100,000 people).
The causes of 'young-onset colorectal cancer' are related to diet and lifestyle habits. In particular, foods high in animal fat, processed meats such as ham and sausage, red meat consumption, frequent alcohol intake, and smoking are all contributing factors. Lack of sleep, obesity, and stress are also related. Most people do not experience symptoms in the early stages of colorectal cancer. By the time symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloody stools, diarrhea, fatigue, loss of appetite, or weight loss appear, the disease is often already at an advanced stage.
The earlier colorectal cancer is detected, the higher the cure rate. If discovered and treated at stage 1, the cure rate is 90%; at stage 2, it is 80%. Removing adenomatous polyps through endoscopic examination can prevent most cases of colorectal cancer. However, if the disease progresses to stage 3, the cure rate drops to 70%, and if found at stage 4, it is only 10%.
Because early detection is difficult, regular screening is crucial. The National Cancer Screening Program recommends that anyone over 50 undergo an annual fecal occult blood test, and if abnormalities are found, a colonoscopy or double-contrast barium enema. However, experts emphasize that it is advisable to start regular screenings before age 50, even in the absence of symptoms. The National Cancer Screening Program recommends that asymptomatic adults begin fecal occult blood tests every 1 to 2 years or colonoscopy every 5 to 10 years after age 45. In particular, those with risk factors such as a family history of colorectal cancer, or those experiencing symptoms like bloody stools, diarrhea, or abdominal pain, should consider colorectal cancer screening even in their 30s.
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