Assoc. Prof. M.D. Yunus Dönder

As a 72-year-old retired beekeeper, I'd lived with an umbilical hernia for years, dismissing it as age. During a routine check for my bees, the pain became unbearable. Dr. Dönder didn't just see a hernia; he noticed my anxiety about being immobilized. He performed a minimally invasive repair, then created a recovery plan that allowed me to tend to my hives with modified movements within days. His understanding that healing isn't just physical, but about returning to what defines us, was extraordinary.

My 8-year-old daughter, Elif, needed an emergency appendectomy during our family vacation in Cappadocia. Far from home and terrified, Dr. Dönder met us at Kayseri Hospital. He calmed her by drawing the procedure as a 'mission to remove a tiny troublemaker' and let her keep the drawing. His skill was matched by his kindness—he even arranged for a post-op balloon. We returned to Istanbul with a healthy child and a story about the surgeon who treated her fear as seriously as her appendix.

I'm a 45-year-old competitive marathon runner. A chronic inguinal hernia threatened my season. Other surgeons offered standard solutions. Dr. Dönder, himself an avid hiker, designed a tailored surgical approach and a phased recovery protocol aligned with my athletic physiology. He coordinated with my physiotherapist. Six months later, I not only completed a marathon but set a personal best. He treated me as an athlete first, a patient second.

Our 19-year-old son, a university student, was diagnosed with a pilonidal sinus. He was embarrassed and delayed treatment. Dr. Dönder spoke with him privately, man-to-man, removing the stigma. He explained the procedure with relatable analogies (calling it 'clearing a blocked drain') and offered a schedule around his exams. The care was so discreet and respectful that our son's confidence returned faster than the wound healed.