Patient Experience
Our 8-year-old son, Leo, was diagnosed with a rare bone tumor after months of unexplained leg pain. Dr. Nur Olgun didn't just see a case file; she saw a little boy who loved soccer. She explained everything to him using dinosaur analogies, calling the treatment his 'superhero training.' During the most intense chemotherapy weeks at Acibadem Izmir Kent, she'd visit his room with small puzzles, asking about his favorite players. Her approach was a masterclass in balancing cutting-edge pediatric oncology with profound emotional intelligence. We're now in remission, and Leo still draws pictures for 'Dr. Nur, the tumor tamer.' Her team's coordination with child life specialists made hell feel manageable.
As a 72-year-old grandfather diagnosed with a secondary hematological malignancy, I felt out of place in a pediatric ward. Dr. Olgun treated my late-onset complication with astonishing expertise, never dismissing me as an anomaly. She tailored my immunotherapy schedule considering my age-related arthritis, collaborating with my rheumatologist in a way I've never seen before. At Acibadem Izmir Kent, she once sat with me for forty minutes discussing how to explain my illness to my young grandchildren without frightening them. Her holistic vision—treating the family ecosystem, not just the disease—turned my fear into a structured battle plan with measurable hope.
Our 15-month-old daughter, Ayla, was rushed to emergency with a sudden, catastrophic neuroblastoma presentation. Dr. Olgun was called at 2 AM and arrived within 25 minutes, her calm presence slicing through the panic. She didn't sugarcoat the severity—'This is a mountain, but we have ropes'—before outlining an aggressive surgical and MIBG therapy plan. During the 11-hour surgery, she gave us three concise updates, each with specific, technical details that strangely comforted us. Her post-op follow-ups included meticulous attention to developmental milestones delayed by treatment, proving her care extends far beyond mere survival metrics to quality of life.
What began as a routine checkup for our 6-year-old's persistent fatigue unraveled into a complex leukemia diagnosis. Dr. Nur Olgun's method was remarkable: she conducted the initial conversation with our daughter present, using a custom-made picture book about blood cells. For the parents, she provided a separate, detailed binder with treatment phases, potential side effects mapped to Turkish support resources, and even a glossary. Her innovation was a 'question jar'—we wrote down anxieties as they arose between visits, which she addressed systematically each time. This wasn't passive care; it was a collaborative, educational journey that empowered us amidst the chaos. Her clinic at Acibadem Izmir felt like a command center designed for both scientific rigor and profound human warmth.