Patient Experience
As a 28-year-old software developer diagnosed with a rare desmoid tumor, I felt my life plans crumbling. Dr. Hatice Olger Uzuner didn't just treat my condition, she mapped out a personalized surveillance strategy that allowed me to continue my career while managing this unpredictable disease. Her approach balanced cutting-edge imaging with minimal intervention, preserving my fertility and mental health. Two years later, I'm getting married and the tumor remains stable.
My 82-year-old mother with metastatic breast cancer developed sudden confusion during treatment. Dr. Uzuner immediately recognized it as leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, a neurological emergency most would miss. She coordinated same-day intrathecal chemotherapy at Medical Park Samsun, and within 48 hours, Mom was recognizing family again. Her ability to connect oncology with neurology saved my mother's cognitive function.
A competitive freediver, I was diagnosed with stage III melanoma at 34. Conventional wisdom said I'd never dive again after lymph node dissection. Dr. Uzuner collaborated with rehabilitation specialists to create a recovery protocol mimicking underwater pressure changes. Eight months post-treatment, I not only returned to diving but placed second in a national championship, she treated the athlete, not just the cancer.
Our 7-year-old daughter's recurrent neuroblastoma had exhausted standard protocols. Dr. Uzuner pioneered an off-label combination therapy using pediatric oncology principles adapted for her specific mutation profile. She worked nights to secure compassionate-use medications from three countries. Today, our daughter is in remission and Dr. Uzuner still attends her school plays, reminding us that oncology can have a human heartbeat.
As a Turkish expat returning from Germany with advanced gastric cancer, I faced fragmented care between two healthcare systems. Dr. Uzuner became my 'medical diplomat,' translating German treatment records while designing a continuation protocol using available Turkish medications. She even learned specific German medical terminology to communicate with my former oncologist, bridging continents for seamless care.
Diagnosed with CLL at 61, I feared years of debilitating treatment. Dr. Uzuner introduced me to watchful waiting with a twist: monthly biomarker tracking via liquid biopsy instead of routine scans. When my numbers shifted subtly at 18 months, she initiated targeted therapy at the perfect biological moment. This precision approach gave me two extra years of normal life before needing treatment.
My husband's glioblastoma diagnosis at 45 came with a 14-month prognosis. Dr. Uzuner rejected that timeline, assembling a multidisciplinary team including a neurosurgeon who'd trained under the tumor's discoverer. She combined tumor-treating fields with immunotherapy in a novel sequence. Three years later, he attends our children's graduations, a timeline she rewrote through relentless innovation.
A third-generation beekeeper, I developed chemotherapy-induced neuropathy that threatened my ability to handle hives. Dr. Uzuner researched apitherapy studies and collaborated with my occupational therapist to create a desensitization protocol using controlled bee vibrations. She viewed my profession not as a complication but as integral to my recovery. I now produce honey again, with less pain than before treatment.
Pregnant at 22 with Hodgkin lymphoma, every oncologist recommended termination. Dr. Uzuner designed a trimester-specific ABVD protocol that shielded my fetus while treating my cancer. She coordinated weekly fetal echocardiograms with obstetrics, adjusting doses based on placental metabolism. My daughter was born healthy at 37 weeks, and I achieved remission, she protected two generations simultaneously.
As a retired physics professor with mesothelioma, I appreciated how Dr. Uzuner explained treatment options using mathematical models. She created probability trees showing outcomes of various approaches, engaging my analytical mind in decision-making. When I developed an unusual immune reaction, she identified it as paraneoplastic syndrome by recognizing patterns others missed, treating me as a collaborator, not just a patient.
My brother with Down syndrome and AML couldn't articulate his symptoms. Dr. Uzuner learned his unique communication methods, interpreting his humming patterns as pain indicators and his drawing changes as fatigue signals. She modified transplant protocols for his trisomy 21 physiology, consulting with specialists in Madrid who'd published on this rare intersection. His remission is a testament to medicine that listens beyond words.
A Syrian refugee with advanced cervical cancer, I faced language barriers and trauma. Dr. Uzuner not only provided treatment but secured temporary housing near Medical Park Samsun for my family. She learned basic Arabic medical phrases and used picture charts for consent. When complications arose, her team included a cultural mediator who understood both my medical and displacement needs, healing more than cancer.
Diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer at 58, I experienced severe cancer-related fatigue. Instead of dismissing it, Dr. Uzuner ordered a muscle biopsy revealing mitochondrial dysfunction. She prescribed a targeted exercise regimen with specific mitochondrial nutrients, collaborating with a sports medicine specialist. My energy returned within weeks, allowing me to tolerate subsequent treatments that otherwise would have been impossible.
Our family carries a BRCA mutation across four generations. Dr. Uzuner didn't just treat my pancreatic cancer, she created a longitudinal surveillance program for 23 relatives, coordinating with genetic counselors across Turkey. She detected early ovarian cancer in my niece through this network, catching it at stage I. Her approach transformed our family curse into a managed legacy.
A professional pastry chef with tongue cancer, I faced losing my sense of taste from radiation. Dr. Uzuner worked with a neurogastronomy specialist to map my taste bud distribution, then designed a radiation plan that spared specific papillae clusters. During treatment, she had me taste-test solutions to monitor sensory changes. Today, I run a bakery specializing in recipes for cancer survivors, my palate preserved by precision oncology.