Neda Deniz Founder of Top Surgery Istanbul
Neda Deniz is the founder of Top Surgery Istanbul, which provides information and coordination for international patients considering FTM top surgery in Istanbul, Turkey. His own search for information led to conversations with people abroad and grew into his work organising services for international patients.
The information he was looking for
Neda began his own transition in 2015. After his operations in 2020, people abroad started contacting him to ask about his experience and the options available in Turkey.
He remembers how difficult it had been to find information about the surgical options he was considering in Turkey. Looking for a doctor had involved research that was hard to repeat through a clear, accessible online source. When others began asking similar questions, he decided to share what he had learned.
That response became the beginning of his work in the field. He created a website, used social media to discuss his experience and began building relationships with people considering surgery. His own results were part of those early conversations, alongside questions about how to approach the process.
Building the agency
In 2020, Neda began working as a sworn translator and managing a doctor’s social media. Developing the business also meant researching clinical partners, reviewing previous work and making hospital connections. He attended community activities abroad, held meetings and introduced the service to people who wanted more information.
The early years were financially difficult. Neda was learning how to establish and operate a business in a new field. He followed doctors and organisations abroad to understand how they communicated with patients. He recalls considering giving up several times while investing his resources in the work over roughly two years. The personal value of the work remained important to him: he knew the questions people were facing and valued being able to help them find their next step.
In 2022, he established his health tourism agency. Top Surgery Istanbul now brings together information and coordination for international patients considering FTM top surgery in Istanbul. Neda’s background and personal experience remain part of how he explains the service and communicates with prospective patients.
What personal experience contributes
Neda describes conversations in which people feel able to explain their concerns because they know he has been through his own process. They ask about the result they hope for and the practical decisions involved in travelling for surgery. He values being someone they can speak to directly.
That familiarity also requires attention to each person’s preferences. Neda identifies the use of a person’s chosen pronouns and respectful communication as important parts of the service. He expects the hospitals and clinicians he works with to treat patients with respect.
Experience has also made him reflect on his own assumptions and how difficult conversations are handled. He describes learning to listen more carefully to the outcome each person wants. Looking back on disagreements, he recognises the value of explaining a decision more calmly and constructively. These lessons are part of how he wants the service to develop.
His role is in information and coordination. Clinical suitability, surgical decisions and medical advice remain the responsibility of the treating clinician. Top Surgery Istanbul works with Dr. M. Serkan Dinar; the surgeon’s role is distinct from Neda’s coordination work. Each patient needs an individual clinical assessment.
The practical work around a trip
Some of Neda’s work is less visible than a website or an initial enquiry. International time differences shape when people get in touch, and questions continue after an operation. He describes the time spent responding to messages as a substantial part of running the agency.
Practical arrangements have also developed through experience. One example is arranging accommodation close to the hospital to make the stay easier to organise. The details of a patient’s package and support arrangements should be confirmed for that person before booking.
Neda’s aim is to make information about the process easier to find and discuss. The international top surgery planning guide brings together questions to ask while researching providers and preparing for a trip. For information about coordination through Top Surgery Istanbul, contact the team.
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