With deep sorrow and respect, we commemorate Prof. Daver Yeker, MD an Honorary Member of the Turkish Association of Pediatric Surgeons and a distinguished scientist, who passed away on February 6th, 2025.
Graduating from Haydarpaşa High School in 1959 and from Istanbul University, Faculty of Medicine in 1965, Prof. Yeker made significant contributions to the field of pediatric surgery in our country. He was not only recognized for his professional achievements, but also admired for the students he mentored, the compassion he showed to his patients, and his strong ethical values in medical practice. After completing his general surgery residency, he discovered his passion for pediatric surgery in 1970 and began his subspecialty training at Hacettepe University, obtaining his specialization in 1973. His dissertation focused on “Staging Laparotomy in Hodgkin’s Disease.”
As a pediatric surgery specialist at Istanbul SSK Göztepe Hospital, Prof. Yeker became the first modern pediatric surgeon to begin practicing in Istanbul. In 1977, he returned to Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, where he laid the foundation for the Department of Pediatric Surgery, officially starting his duty on January 1st, 1977. Initially working under challenging conditions without a dedicated pediatric surgery ward or even his own office, Prof. Yeker’s dedication and passion for his profession significantly contributed to the development of pediatric surgical services at Cerrahpaşa. In the same year, he successfully passed his associate professorship exam with the thesis titled “An Experimental Study on a New Method in the Surgical Treatment of Short Bowel Syndrome in Children,” earning the title of Associate Professor in Pediatric Surgery.
On February 28th, 1978, the official opening of the Pediatric Surgery Department at Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine was conducted by its two founding professors, Dr. Yeker and Dr. Nur Danişmend. The event was met with great interest from the medical faculty administration and the press at that time. Following his promotion to Professor in 1981 and the implementation of the Higher Education Council (YÖK) law, the department was officially recognized as a separate division, with Prof. Yeker serving as the department chair for nearly two decades.
Committed to continuous professional development on an international level, Prof. Yeker conducted research at Liverpool Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in 1978 and at Sheffield Children’s Hospital in 1981, bringing the latest global medical advancements to Türkiye. Throughout his academic career, he published more than 200 national and international articles and presided over numerous national and international congresses in Türkiye. He served as the President of the Turkish Association of Pediatric Surgery for six years, as a Board Member of the World Federation of Associations of Pediatric Surgeons for six years, and as the President of the Mediterranean Association of Pediatric Surgeons for two years. Additionally, he contributed to the scientific community as an Editorial Consultant for the European Journal of Pediatric Surgery.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Prof. Yeker will always be remembered for his warm and sincere personality, his guidance to students and colleagues, and his endless compassion and dedication to his patients. Just as he was an accomplished and devoted surgeon, he was also a loving and devoted family man, sharing a happy life with his beloved wife, Pediatric Anesthesiologist Yüksel Yeker, their children Ömür, Nadide, and Mahmut, and their grandchildren Defne, Talat, Kartal, Bora, and Peri.
We will always cherish the values he instilled in us, his dedication to training young surgeons, and his compassion for his patients. We will honor his legacy by continuing his work in pediatric surgery, inspired by his dedication and devotion to his students and patients.
On behalf of Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Surgery,
Prof. Gonca Topuzlu Tekant, MD