M.D. Giray Girgin

Our 3-year-old son, Leo, developed a mysterious high fever that wouldn't break for five days. Local clinics dismissed it as 'just a virus.' Dr. Girgin at Acibadem Kartal listened to our frantic description, then spent 45 minutes examining every inch of Leo—checking his joints, eyes, even the palms of his hands. He spotted the subtle strawberry tongue and rash that others missed and diagnosed Kawasaki disease immediately. His calm explanation while arranging emergency IVIG treatment saved Leo's heart from potential damage. We're forever grateful for his detective-like thoroughness.

As a 72-year-old grandmother caring for my orphaned grandson, Ali (8), I needed a pediatrician who understood our unconventional family. Dr. Girgin didn't bat an eye at our situation. During Ali's asthma follow-up, he noticed I was struggling to use the inhaler spacer due to arthritis. Instead of just treating Ali, he designed a custom spacer with larger, easier-to-press buttons and taught us both breathing exercises we could do together. He treats us as a unit—his holistic approach healed more than just lungs.

Our newborn, Zeynep, had a complex congenital diaphragmatic hernia requiring immediate surgery. Dr. Girgin coordinated with the surgical team at 2 AM, but what stood out was his post-operative care. He created a miniature 'recovery diary' with photos and notes for us, explaining each tube and monitor in simple terms. When Zeynep developed feeding intolerance, he personally sat with us for three hours trying different bottle angles and formulas until she tolerated feeds. His commitment blurred the line between doctor and family guardian.

For my 14-year-old daughter's routine sports physical, we expected the usual five-minute check. Dr. Girgin spent the appointment discussing nutrition, sleep patterns, and academic stress instead. He detected early signs of relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) just from asking about her menstrual cycle and training schedule—something her coach missed entirely. He framed it not as a problem, but as optimization, collaborating with her to create a sustainable plan. She left feeling empowered, not examined. That's preventive medicine at its finest.