M.D. Gülşah Taş

We brought our 2-year-old son, Kerem, to Dr. Gülşah Taş after weeks of unexplained, intermittent high fevers that local clinics dismissed as 'just a virus.' From the moment she entered the examination room at Acibadem Fulya, her focus was absolute. She didn't just listen to us; she observed Kerem playing on the floor, noting a slight hesitation in his left arm. Her suspicion of a rare joint infection (septic arthritis) led to immediate, targeted tests and a swift admission. She personally coordinated with the pediatric rheumatology and infectious disease teams. Her calm, decisive explanations during a terrifying time were our anchor. Kerem needed a minor joint aspiration and IV antibiotics. Dr. Taş visited him twice daily, often after her official hours, just to make silly faces and check his progress. She treated the whole child, not just the fever. We are forever grateful.

My 88-year-old mother, diagnosed with advanced dementia, developed severe pneumonia. As her pediatrician (yes, you read that right), Dr. Taş has been her primary doctor since childhood, and my mother trusts no one else. Managing a complex geriatric infection in a pediatric hospital required incredible logistical skill and compassion from Dr. Taş. She advocated for my mother's admission to a suitable monitored bed, seamlessly consulted with adult pulmonologists, and translated their recommendations into a care plan she oversaw. She spoke to my mother in the gentle, respectful tone one uses with a child, which soothed her confusion. Dr. Taş understood this was about continuity of care and human dignity at the end of a very long life. Her dedication transcended specialty boundaries in the most profound way.

Our 10-day-old newborn, Elif, stopped feeding and became lethally lethargic. The midnight rush to Acibadem Fulya's ER was a blur of panic. Dr. Taş, who was on call, met us at the entrance. Her assessment was lightning-fast yet thorough—she identified signs of neonatal sepsis within minutes. While the team started lines and antibiotics, she held my hand and said, 'We are moving very fast because we must. She is in the right place.' She explained the 'why' behind every alarming action. Elif spent a week in the NICU. Dr. Taş was our constant: updating us without sugarcoating, celebrating the smallest improvements, and teaching us how to be advocates for our fragile baby. She turned a catastrophic emergency into a managed crisis. Elif is now a chubby 3-month-old, and we credit Dr. Taş with saving her life.

For our 7-year-old daughter, Zeynep, a routine school checkup revealed a significant heart murmur. Dr. Taş, during her annual physical, didn't just note it and refer us out. She performed a detailed history, asking about endurance in dance class and sleep patterns. She then did something remarkable: she used a portable ultrasound device in her office for a preliminary scan, explaining the images to Zeynep ('Let's look at the doors of your heart, see how they swing?'). This immediate, visual context prevented panic. She coordinated a same-day consultation with a pediatric cardiologist, personally walking us to the department. Her follow-up was meticulous, calling us after the echocardiogram to explain the diagnosis (a benign flow murmur) in terms both we and Zeynep could understand. She turned a potential trauma into an educational adventure about how bodies work.