Erman OZTURAN

My name is Erman Özturan. I was born in Samsun on 29.09.1982. I came into the world prematurely. Later I had jaundice and due to the delayed blood transfusion I got the Cerebral Palsy.

When I started an 8 month-long physiotherapy, I couldn’t use my hands and wasn’t able control the sitting balance as well as my head. In the meantime, some doctors have claimed that I have both motor and mental retardation. Understanding the consciousness of my family as well due to the fact that no mental retardation was found, I went to the physiotherapy every day for 15 years without interruption. However, every movement of mine was very slow but was developing with time. When I was 7 years old, I learned to read at home and although I did not fully develop the sitting balance and could not write, I started elementary school from the 2nd grade and I finished it without writing. When I started secondary school, the situation got worse and we decided to continue my education with the use of laptop because I could not write anymore.

However, it took me maybe 5 minutes to be able to press 1 key on the computer first time. But since I wanted to read and use the computer so much, I didn’t give up, and with some time I succeeded in using the computer very fast. So; when my friends answered questions with the pen in the classroom, I was able to give answers with my computer at the same time. When the middle school was over, my parents and I only had a university exam in the mind. In order to be able to see the difficulties we could face during the entry stage, I decided to take part in the Science High School exams.

As a matter of fact, we faced the expected difficulties and were not allowed to enter the exam with the computer. Though I was able to enter the exam with the help of a companion, I solved the mathematic questions in my head and by codifying the answers in the form of a, b, c I succeeded to enter the Kırıkkale Science High School, I did not attend though. I finished High School the same way using a computer and applied for the university exam. However, I was not allowed to enter the exam with my computer. And again I solved the mathematic questions in my head by codifying the answers in the form of a, b, c and was successful in entering the Banking and Finances department at the Bilkent University.

As the English Preparatory course at the Bilkent University lasts for 2 years, I learned English by typing at my computer again in these 2 years. However, due to an error I made during the selection of my course preferences, I didn’t pay attention that it also required French preparatory lessons, but I didn’t want to do the French preparation. That’s why after finishing my English preparations, I entered the university exams again and was admitted to the department of Business Administration in English language at the Çankaya University.

I skipped the preparatory classes and graduated in 4 years. Between 2008-2010 I worked half and full time in SERÇEV (Cerebral Palsy Children Association). I worked on projects that would facilitate the lives of people with cerebral palsy, such as myself, by using the experience I have gained through the difficulties I have experienced myself. In addition I also made translations in Turkish-English, English-Turkish for the association. Between 2010-2011, during my work at the Aras Cargo Data Processing Center, I also worked as the Vice Chairman at SERÇEV. In 2011 I passed the exam made by the Ministry of Health and I started to work as an official at the Ankara Atatürk Training and Research Hospital in the field of Information Processing and still continue to work till now. Meanwhile, I had a different vision than SERÇEV and left the organization. At that time I established together with my friends the World Cerebral Palsy Association – DÜNSEV in which I serve as a chairman. My aim is to introduce the Cerebral Palsy disorder correctly to Turkey and to prevent the treatment of the people with the Cerebral Palsy deceived by external images as mentally retarded which is a problem that I am still confronted to but already laughing at it.