23/09/2025
👨👩👧👧 From Grandfather to Grandchildren: A Family’s Doctor
In medicine, the greatest joy is not only restoring someone’s health, but also being able to touch the lives of every member of a family. This photo tells exactly such a story…
🔹 First, the grandfather: Years ago, when I was serving as Head of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at İzmir Katip Çelebi University, I performed a very challenging lung surgery that restored the grandfather’s health. That surgery became the first bond between us.
🔹 Then, the eldest granddaughter: The family’s older daughter came to me with one of the rarest and most difficult chest wall deformities — pectus arcuatum. They had previously been told that this deformity could not be corrected without surgery. However, we began vacuum bell therapy. Today, in the 5th year of treatment, the deformity has improved by 95%. I have no doubt that within the next 1–2 years it will be completely corrected.
🔹 And finally, the younger sister: Two years later, the younger daughter was found to have multiple, widespread, and growing masses in different parts of her body. Many doctors said, “She’s too young, let’s wait until she grows older and then biopsy.” But I suspected it could be serious — even cancer — and decided not to waste any time. I removed part of one rib along with the mass with clear margins. Pathology revealed osteochondroma. This step encouraged orthopedic surgeons to join the process for removing other masses. Now, we are planning for the removal of another rib lesion at the right time.
Looking back today, I feel an indescribable happiness in having touched the lives of both the eldest and the youngest in this family. This photo represents a bond of love, respect, and gratitude that has grown stronger over the years. 💙
