A Brave Decision That Changed My Life
A Brave Decision That Changed My Life
Jacqueline Smith travelled from Middlesbrough in the United Kingdom for gastric sleeve surgery with Dr. Zafer Cenk Koyuncu. At 58, she describes the decision as an important step taken primarily for her health and overall well-being. Jacqueline first discovered Dr. Zafer through Facebook and then continued communication with the team through WhatsApp. Having direct contact before travelling helped her learn more about the process and approach treatment with greater confidence.
Jacqueline speaks very positively about the doctor, nurses and hospital team throughout her experience. She describes the medical staff as supportive and says she was satisfied with the care she received. For a patient travelling from another country, feeling informed and well looked after can be an important part of the treatment experience. Jacqueline says that if one of her friends required similar surgery, she would feel comfortable recommending the hospital based on her own experience.
Jacqueline Smith
Gastric Sleeve Patient from Middlesbrough, UK“The nurses and the doctor were absolutely amazing.”
What Defined Jacqueline’s Gastric Sleeve Experience
Jacqueline’s experience centres on three important elements: choosing surgery for her health, establishing communication before travelling and feeling supported by the medical team after arriving. Together, these elements shaped the confidence and satisfaction she describes throughout her bariatric surgery journey.
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A Health-Focused Decision — Jacqueline explains that improving her health was the central reason she chose gastric sleeve surgery. For her, the procedure represented an important personal decision focused on future well-being.
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Communication Before Travelling — After initially discovering Dr. Zafer Cenk Koyuncu through Facebook, Jacqueline continued communicating through WhatsApp. This gave her an opportunity to connect with the team and understand more about the process before travelling.
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Confidence in the Care Team — Jacqueline repeatedly praises both the doctor and nursing staff. She describes the hospital experience positively and says she would recommend the same team to friends considering similar treatment.
You can watch the full video testimonial of this patient by clicking the video banner below.
For Jacqueline Smith, gastric sleeve surgery was a brave decision motivated by her health. Her experience also illustrates the importance of communication, trust and supportive medical care for patients travelling abroad for bariatric treatment. She describes herself as satisfied with the process and particularly appreciative of the nurses, doctor and wider hospital team. As with every bariatric procedure, individual suitability, risks, expected outcomes and postoperative care should be evaluated personally with an appropriately qualified medical team.
