There are more than 240 million disabled children all over the world. Unfortunately this number is increasing as a result of the recent developments in obstetrical and pediatric care. Most of these children live in developing countries where the birth rate is much higher and medical services are much poorer than rich ‘Western’ societies.
There are very few international organisations that support the care of disabled children and incorporate them into society. Organisations tend to be charities that help various small communities in poor countries. The families, physicians and physiotherapists taking care of these children are usually helpless. Their heroic efforts and the very little international charity that trickles down are not enough solve this worldwide human tragedy.
The best, and maybe the only true solution is education. The lack of information and resources have the greatest impact upon the disabled children who live in poor countries. They do not receive a minimum of the care that their peers in the West take for granted. As a physician and a surgeon practicing in a developing country like Turkey, that lies in between the ‘civilized’ West and the ‘underdeveloped’ East, I have witnessed the immense need for modern medical knowledge in our region.
Seeing this need for specific medical education my partner Dr. Nadire, me and the president of the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) Dr. Mike Sussman had the idea to organize a three day educational meeting in Istanbul in 2002.
World famous experienced physicans from the USA and Europe came covering their costs themselves to give lectures.
This meeting instantly became a success because there was a great need in all the neighbouring countries. Other volunteer physicians, who later became friends, from Greece, Lebanon, Israel, Poland, Russia, Armenia and Estonia joined us and together, we kept organizing biannual local meetings.
Our honorary leader Dr. Mike Sussman organized a meeting in China, and during our circumnavigation we had the chance to meet two family groups in Yogyakarta, Indonesia and Penang, Malaysia where we gave lectures and have seen patients.
The Eastern European and Mediterranean Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Disorders Meeting will be held in 2026 again in Istanbul, with participants expected mainly from our region, but also China, Vietnam, Nigeria, former Soviet Republics and the Balkan countries as well as Eastern Europe. This meeting is a platform to exchange ideas, share knowledge, teach state of the art treatment and management strategies and increase awareness of childhood disability and the impact it causes in the society.
There is also a need for written and audiovisual educational material on this subject, so we authored many books for the treatment and rehabilitation of disabled children.
Our English book ‘The Help Guide to Cerebral Palsy’ was downloaded millions of copies worldwide and was translated in many languages.