Dr. Gamze Avcı

Our 11-year-old daughter, Elif, developed a mysterious, persistent fever that lasted over a week. Local clinics prescribed general antibiotics with no improvement. We came to Acıbadem İzmir Kent Hospital in desperation. Dr. Gamze Avcı didn't just glance at test results—she spent 45 minutes asking Elif about school, her hobbies, and even about a recent camping trip. She connected the dots to a rare tick-borne infection that wasn't on anyone's radar. Her diagnostic curiosity saved us from a prolonged illness. She explained everything to Elif in 'kid language' and to us in medical terms. We've never felt so heard by a physician.

My 78-year-old mother, who has raised six children, was hospitalized with pneumonia. While not Dr. Avcı's typical patient, she was consulted due to complex pediatric-like immune responses in geriatric cases. Dr. Avcı approached my mother not as an elderly statistic but with the warmth of a granddaughter. She adjusted antibiotic protocols based on pediatric precision dosing principles, arguing that 'delicate systems need delicate calculations, regardless of age.' Her cross-disciplinary thinking and respectful bedside manner had my mother smiling for the first time in weeks. She bridged the gap between pediatrics and geriatrics with stunning compassion.

Our 3-day-old newborn, Arda, failed his routine hearing screening twice at the birth clinic. Panicked, we rushed to Acıbadem. Dr. Gamze Avcı met us in the pediatric emergency unit at 10 PM. Instead of ordering immediate invasive tests, she demonstrated a technique involving low-frequency humming and observing subtle startle reflexes in his fingertips—something she'd researched in neonatal neurology. She calmly explained that fluid from birth can often cause false positives. She had us return after 48 hours, and the third test was perfectly normal. She turned our panic into patience with incredible expertise.

My 8-year-old son, Deniz, has a complex congenital heart condition requiring annual monitoring. His check-up with Dr. Avcı is unlike any other. She doesn't just review his file; she reviews *him*. This year, she noticed a slight change in how he sat in the chair—a subtle fatigue. She ordered an echocardiogram others might have skipped, discovering a minor valve progression needing early intervention. What struck me was her method: she engages Deniz in drawing his own heart diagram while talking, disarming his fear. She practices medicine like an artist and a scientist fused together. We trust her with his life, literally.