M.D. Tuncer Babür

As a 72-year-old retired marine biologist, I discovered an unusual abdominal mass while on an expedition. Dr. Babür didn't just see a tumor—he recognized my passion for diving and crafted a surgical approach that preserved my core muscles for underwater work. His team even coordinated with my research institute about recovery timelines. Six months post-surgery, I'm back documenting coral reefs.

My 8-year-old daughter developed a rare pancreatic condition that baffled specialists across three countries. Dr. Babür spent evenings studying pediatric surgical journals in languages I couldn't read. During the complex procedure, he found an anatomical variation nobody had documented. He modified his technique in real-time, and now my child eats ice cream without pain for the first time in her life.

A construction accident left me with embedded industrial materials throughout my abdomen. Most surgeons wanted multiple staged operations. Dr. Babür developed a single innovative procedure using intraoperative imaging navigation he'd adapted from neurological surgery. I returned to building sites in 11 weeks instead of the predicted 9 months.

My husband's emergency appendectomy turned into a discovery of widespread abdominal adhesions from forgotten childhood surgeries. Dr. Babür didn't just remove the appendix—he meticulously freed every adhesion over four hours. The recovery was so smooth my husband jokes he should have had the surgery years ago.