Prof. M.D. Ayhan Çevik

Our 78-year-old mother was diagnosed with a complex congenital heart defect that had gone undetected her entire life, presenting now with late-onset complications. Dr. Çevik approached her case not as a pediatric anomaly in an elderly patient, but with profound respect for her unique physiology. He coordinated with geriatric specialists at Acibadem Atasehir to create a conservative management plan, explaining the risks of intervention at her age with remarkable clarity. His patience with her questions and his gentle manner during echocardiograms—adjusting his typically pediatric-focused explanations for an adult—was extraordinary. He treated her not as a medical curiosity, but as a whole person whose 'pediatric' condition required lifelong care she'd never received.

Our 3-day-old son was rushed to Acibadem Atasehir's NICU with critical cyanosis. Dr. Çevik met us in the emergency department at 2 AM, his calm presence immediately cutting through our panic. He diagnosed transposition of the great arteries within minutes using bedside echocardiography. What followed wasn't just technical excellence—though the emergency balloon septostomy he performed saved our son's life—but his profound humanity. He drew diagrams on a whiteboard, spoke to us in raw, honest terms about risks, and held space for our tears. During the complex arterial switch operation he led days later, he provided hourly updates to the waiting room. Our son is now 6 months old, thriving, and we still receive check-in calls from his team.

Our 8-year-old daughter's 'innocent heart murmur' detected during a school physical turned out to be a progressive subaortic membrane requiring intervention. Dr. Çevik's approach to this routine-turned-complex case was masterful. Instead of immediate surgery, he implemented a 6-month monitoring protocol with precise echocardiographic measurements, documenting subtle changes that justified intervention at the optimal time. He involved our daughter in her care, letting her hold the ultrasound probe and explaining how her heart worked using cartoon diagrams. The surgical repair was flawless, but what truly distinguished him was the post-operative guidance: detailed instructions for returning to gymnastics, nutritional advice for healing, and emotional support for her fears. Her follow-up visits feel like reunions with a trusted mentor.

We brought our 15-year-old son, a competitive swimmer, for what we thought would be a quick clearance after he experienced brief dizziness during training. Dr. Çevik detected subtle ECG abnormalities others had missed. His investigation revealed arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy—a condition with serious implications for athletes. The consultation was emotionally devastating, but Dr. Çevik delivered the news with such compassionate precision, separating immediate concerns from long-term management. He created a multidisciplinary plan involving electrophysiologists, sports medicine specialists, and a psychologist to help our son process the end of his competitive career. He transformed a routine checkup into a potentially life-saving intervention, handling the psychological dimensions with as much skill as the cardiac ones. Our son is now on appropriate medication and has found new passions with Dr. Çevik's encouragement.