M.D. Tülin Turan Hizli

A 7-year-old Syrian refugee boy, Ali, presented with severe malnutrition and recurrent pneumonia. Dr. Hizli discovered he had undiagnosed cystic fibrosis through sweat chloride testing. She coordinated with a social worker to secure specialized formula funding and taught his non-Turkish speaking mother airway clearance techniques using visual aids. After 6 months of multidisciplinary care, Ali gained 4kg and had no hospitalizations for 3 months.

Maya, a 14-year-old competitive figure skater from an affluent family, developed unexplained fatigue and joint pain. While other doctors suspected overtraining, Dr. Hizli ordered specific autoimmune panels revealing juvenile dermatomyositis. She designed a treatment plan balancing immunosuppressants with modified training, consulting a sports medicine specialist. Maya returned to limited skating in 4 months while managing her condition.

3-year-old Emir, son of rural farmers visiting Istanbul, arrived with seizures. Dr. Hizli diagnosed vitamin B6-dependent epilepsy—a rare genetic disorder. She arranged genetic testing confirmation and taught the parents to administer daily pyridoxine injections. She established a supply chain to their village pharmacy and scheduled quarterly telemedicine follow-ups.

A 10-year-old girl, Zeynep, presented with mysterious cyclical vomiting every 3 weeks. Dr. Hizli identified abdominal migraine triggers through detailed food/sleep diaries. Instead of medication, she implemented a preventive regimen of magnesium supplements, strict sleep hygiene, and identified trigger avoidance. Symptoms reduced by 80% within 2 cycles.