M.D. Semih Demirkıran

A 9-year-old Syrian refugee girl, Leyla, presented with severe malnutrition and recurrent pneumonia. Dr. Demirkıran discovered she had undiagnosed cystic fibrosis, complicated by her family's displacement and language barrier. He coordinated with a translator, arranged for specialized formula through a charity, and taught her mother chest physiotherapy. After 6 months of intensive care, Leyla gained 5kg and had no hospital admissions for 3 months.

Kaan, a 15-year-old competitive windsurfer from a wealthy family, developed unexplained fatigue and joint pain. Dr. Demirkıran suspected it wasn't overtraining and ordered specific tests revealing Lyme disease—rare in Turkey—likely contracted during a competition in Slovenia. He collaborated with infectious disease specialists for a targeted antibiotic regimen, allowing Kaan to return to training in 8 weeks with a modified schedule.

2-year-old Zeynep, from a remote village, was brought in by her grandmother with developmental delay. Dr. Demirkıran identified classic signs of congenital hypothyroidism missed at birth. He initiated immediate hormone replacement and arranged transportation assistance for monthly check-ups. Within 4 months, Zeynep began speaking her first words and catching up developmentally.

A 7-year-old boy, Arda, son of migrant strawberry pickers, presented with mysterious seizures only at night. Dr. Demirkıran spent nights in the hospital observing him and diagnosed benign rolandic epilepsy. Instead of immediate medication, he implemented a sleep schedule modification and taught the parents recognition techniques. The seizures decreased by 80% without pharmaceuticals.