I was born on January 1st, 1947 in Istanbul, Turkey. In
1962, when I was junior high student at one of the most prestigious boarding
high schools of the country, namely “Le
Lycée de Galatasaray” where the curriculum is taught in French, I was
selected to be an AFS exchange student to US. During the school year of 63-64,
as an AFSer, I stayed with the Gessay family at 751 Dodge Dr., La Jolla and
attended senior class at LJHS and graduated from there. The Gessays - Dr. Louis
(Dad), the late Mrs. Peggy (Mom), their sons Dr. Greg (LJHS’ 93) & Glenn
(LJHS graduate) and daughter the late Laurie (LJHS graduate)- have provided a
true home for me with their warmth and understanding. My friends and teachers
at LJHS were also wonderful with their immense support, help, understanding and
guidance that enabled me to adapt to and enjoy life in a country I did not even
know the language to begin with. In short, in La Jolla I had the most memorable
and cherishable time of my life and I remember my days there with great
fondness and nostalgia. I would like to extend my warmest feelings of
friendship and love to all my LJHS class of 64 friends who still remember me
despite the 50 years that elapsed as well as my best wishes for a very happy
and very healthy senior life together with their beloved ones for many years to
come.
After my return home, I started my medical studies at the
Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine (IUCFM). I graduated in 1971
and started my internal medicine residency also there. In 1972, I married
Suheyla, my classmate from IUCFM and an AFS’er to LA, CA in 64-65 who later
became Professor of Medical Oncology (1988) and head of Oncology Department of IUCFM
(1999). In 1977, our son Kemal was born. He later graduated from both the IU
Law School (valedictorian, 2000) and the Columbia University Law School in NY
(Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, 2006). He is also member of the NY Bar. At
present, he practices corporate law and Mergers & acquisitions as partner
in an eminent Istanbul law firm.
In 1977-79, as a British Council scholar, I did my
subspecialty training in nephrology (i.e. kidney diseases) at the Southampton
University Medical Faculty in UK while Suheyla worked as researcher in
immuno-oncology at the same institution. In 1988, we both were appointed as
tenured professors she of Medical Oncology and I of Nephrology at the IUCFM.
In 2000, I was elected as President of the Turkish
Society of Nephrology (TSN) and for the ensuing 8 years, until 2008 I worked
for the advancement of nephrology, dialysis and kidney transplantation in
Turkey. And also, I contributed very much to the integration of Turkish
Nephrology and nephrologists to European and World Nephrology. During that
period, TSN has hosted 3 big international congresses in Turkey. The first was the ERA-EDTA European
Nephrology Congress 2005 in Istanbul (with 7000 participants from 107
countries) where I served as Congress President. This Congress is still
remembered both socially and scientifically as one of the most successful
ERA-EDTA European Nephrology Congresses ever held. The second was the also very
successful International Conference on Geriatric Nephrology and Urology 2007 in
Antalya. The third was the International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis
Congress 2008 in Istanbul, which also had a huge success. In 2005, I was
elected with worldwide online voting as Council Member to the International
Society of Nephrology (ISN) where I served until end 2011. In 2005, I was
elected as head of the Nephrology Department of the IUCFM. In 2011, I was
appointed as President of the Internal Medical Sciences Division of the IUCFM.
I retired from IUCFM in January 2014 and am now an Emeritus.
Apart from TSN, I am member of the Turkish Academy of
Medicine, of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN), of the ISN and of the
European Nephrology Society ERA-EDTA.
I still keep in touch with the Gessays. Dr. Louis Gessay
(Dad) has celebrated his 95th birthday just recently. During my last
visit to San Diego for an ASN Congress in 2009, I had the chance to join Dad
and my brother Glenn Gessay for lunch and then visit my old house at 751 Dodge
Dr. that still remains intact. All this has been very touching.
Apart from US (SD, LA, SF, NY, Albany, Denver, St. Louis,
Chicago, Philadelphia) and UK, I have traveled to many different countries for
medical meetings & touristic purposes. In the Americas, I have traveled to
Canada, Brasil and Argentina. In Asia, I have traveled to China, Japan,
Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong. In Europe I have traveled to France, Germany,
Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Sweden,
Denmark, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Macedonia, Greece, Montenegro,
Bosnia, Bulgaria, Rumania and Russia. I have also been in Sydney, Australia.
I have had a happy, fruitful and satisfactory life so
far. And I hope what is left of my future keeps me happy, healthy and satisfied
as well.
With my best regards to all my dear friends of LJHS class
of 64.
Kamil Serdengecti
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