Türkan Saylan commemorated: 'Her struggle will always guide us'

Türkan Saylan, who began her work on leprosy in 1976 and founded the Association and Foundation for the Fight Against Leprosy, succumbed to cancer in 2009. On the anniversary of her passing, she was commemorated by citizens, politicians, and non-governmental organizations.

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Türkan Saylan commemorated: 'Her struggle will always guide us'

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Turkish medical doctor, academic, author, educator, and former President of the Association for Supporting Contemporary Life (ÇYDD), Türkan Saylan, was not forgotten on the 15th anniversary of her death.

Politicians, non-governmental organizations, associations, and famous figures, led by the ÇYDD, commemorated Saylan, uniting in the view that, "She dedicated her life to a healthy future and a democratic Turkey in the light of science."

WHO SAID WHAT ON THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF TÜRKAN SAYLAN'S DEATH?

ÇYDD: Love is in her heart. Loyalty is in her essence. Leadership is in her stance. Struggle is in every moment of hers. Friendship is in her home, with doors open to everyone. Universality is in her wisdom. Humility is in her superior character...

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel: I commemorate Türkan Saylan, who guided us all with her life struggle, with respect and gratitude on the 15th anniversary of her death. We will continue to uphold the ideal of modernization to which she dedicated her life, under the leadership of the Association for Supporting Contemporary Life, which she founded!

IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu: With her life and struggle, Türkan Saylan showed us how precious science and education are. In these days when the whole world is fighting against an epidemic, we understand once again how valuable this stance is. I commemorate her with mercy and gratitude.

Zafer Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ: I commemorate Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan, an Atatürk intellectual targeted by FETÖ, the most despicable terrorist organization in history that tried to seize the Turkish state, with respect and mercy on the anniversary of her departure from among us.

Homeland Party (Memleket Partisi) Chairman Muharrem İnce: I commemorate the Republican woman Türkan Saylan, who was the target of cases fabricated by the AKP-FETÖ partnership due to her belief in science, education, and Atatürk's Revolutions, with respect and mercy on the anniversary of her passing.

HKP: We commemorate our valuable scientist Türkan Saylan, who dedicated her life to the struggle for the education of girls, and who was secular, patriotic, and full of love for people, animals, and nature, with respect on the 15th anniversary of her physical departure from among us.

TTB (Turkish Medical Association): We commemorate our valuable teacher Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan, who dedicated her life to a healthy future and a democratic Turkey in the light of science, with love, respect, and longing on the 15th anniversary of her departure from among us. Her struggle will always guide us.

ADD (Atatürkist Thought Association): We commemorate Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan with respect on the 15th anniversary of her departure from among us.

Hekim Birliği (Physicians' Union): We commemorate the Republican woman Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan, who dedicated her entire life to public health, education, modernization, and enlightenment, with respect and longing.

Orhan Aydın: You; you cultivated hope for our country in every moment of your life for an equal, free, and civilized country.

Tuluhan Tekelioğlu: We commemorate our valuable teacher Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan, who dedicated her life to a healthy future and a democratic Turkey in the light of science, with love, respect, and longing on the 15th anniversary of her departure from among us. Her struggle will always guide us.

Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities President Tunç Soyer: We will never forget Türkan Saylan, the symbolic and pioneering name of the Republican Woman, who captured our hearts with her contributions to the field of education. I commemorate her with respect and mercy.

İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay: I commemorate the valuable scientist Türkan Saylan, who dedicated her life to the Republic, science, and education, with love and respect on the 15th anniversary of her departure from among us.

Çeşme Mayor Lal Denizli: I commemorate Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan, a Republican woman who passed away 15 years ago, who dedicated her life to raising enlightened generations and became a hope for countless 'Snowdrops' (Kardelen), with respect, longing, and gratitude.

CHP Istanbul Deputy Oğuz Kaan Salıcı: Türkan Saylan was one of the symbolic names of the Turkish Enlightenment. She was a Republican woman who worked for science, education, and public health.

Cem Seymen: Not loving Türkan Saylan means not loving the republic, education, equal opportunity, freedom, resistance, and justice; it means exonerating those who say 'let those who don't touch me live for a thousand years.' Türkan Saylan is the very spirit of the National Pact (Misak-ı Millî). It is selfhood, personality, not bowing down, and challenging the darkness.

Fatih Portakal: Her efforts were valuable for the sake of humanity. I commemorate her with respect and gratitude. May the Creator have mercy on her. May her place always be beautiful.

WHO IS TÜRKAN SAYLAN?

Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan, who achieved tremendous successes in many fields such as life, health, and education, both locally and internationally, with the Association for Supporting Contemporary Life, the Association and Foundation for the Fight Against Leprosy, and the 'Kardelen' (Snowdrop) project, and who became a beacon of hope for thousands of people…

Born in Istanbul on December 13, 1935, Türkan Saylan graduated from Kandilli Girls' High School and Istanbul Faculty of Medicine. Saylan, who received her specialization in dermatology and venereology in 1968, began working as a Chief Assistant in the Department of Dermatology at Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine in 1968.

Saylan, who conducted studies in England and France, became a professor in 1977 and served as the Head of the Department of Dermatology at Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine between 1982 and 1987, and as the Director of the Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine Leprosy Research and Application Center between 1981 and 2001.

In 1976, she began her work on leprosy and founded the Association and Foundation for the Fight Against Leprosy. In 1986, she received the "International Gandhi Award" in India. Saylan, who served as a consultant to the World Health Organization on leprosy until 2006, was also a founding member and vice president of the International Leprosy Union (ILU).

Married in 1957, Saylan had two sons and two grandchildren. Saylan, who fought against breast cancer for 17 years, closed her eyes to life on May 18, 2009.

News Source: 12punto